Bill Text: MS HB1022 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Voter enfranchisement; create joint study committee.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Failed) 2011-02-01 - Died In Committee [HB1022 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2011-HB1022-Introduced.html

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MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2011 Regular Session

To: Apportionment and Elections; Judiciary B

By: Representative Calhoun

House Bill 1022

AN ACT TO CREATE THE VOTER ENFRANCHISEMENT JOINT LEGISLATIVE STUDY COMMITTEE TO EXAMINE THE IMPACT OF VIOLENT AND NONVIOLENT OFFENSES ON FRANCHISEMENT BY CREATING A STANDARD OF EDUCATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY BY WHICH MEMBERS OF THE BENCH, THE BAR, ELECTED OFFICIALS AND CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS ARE HELD TO INFORM CRIMINAL DEFENDANTS OF THEIR VOTING RIGHTS; TO REQUIRE A REPORT TO THE 2012 REGULAR SESSION OF THE LEGISLATURE; TO MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON ALL FAMILY AND CHILDREN'S ISSUES; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

     BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

     SECTION 1.  (1)  There is hereby created the Voter Enfranchisement Joint Legislative Study Committee to examine the impact of violent and nonviolent offenses to franchisement, establish measurable goals and benchmarks for the State of Mississippi relating to suffrage, and develop methods to ensure that all persons who are eligible to vote face no continued barriers to registration or voting that results from their felony convictions, by developing and implementing a program to educate attorneys, judges, election officials, corrections officials, including parole and probation officers, and members of the public.  The committee shall, at a minimum, study and report to the 2012 Regular Session of the Legislature on effectiveness of the following:

          (a)  Judges are informed of their obligation to notify criminal defendants of the potential loss or retention of their voting rights, in accordance with this act.

          (b)  The language on voter registration forms makes clear that only people convicted of crimes listed in Section 241, Mississippi Constitution of 1890, are disqualified from voting and that all others retain the right to vote.

          (c)  Probation and parole officers are informed of which convicted individuals lose their voting rights and which convicted individuals retain their voting rights and are prepared to notify probationers and parolees of their rights.

          (d)  Accurate and complete information about the voting rights of people who have been charged with or convicted of crimes, whether disfranchising or not, is made available through a single publication to government officials and the public.

     The joint committee shall make a report of its findings and recommendations to the Legislature by January 1, 2011, including any recommended legislation.

     (2)  The joint committee shall be composed of the following six (6) members:

          (a)  The Chairman of the House Apportionment and Elections Committee and the Chairman of the Senate Elections Committee;

          (b)  Two (2) senators to be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor; and

          (c)  Two (2) representatives to be appointed by the Speaker of the House.

     (3)  Appointments shall be made within thirty (30) days after the effective date of this act.  The joint committee shall hold its first meeting before August 1, 2010.  The Chairman of the House Apportionment and Elections Committee and the Chairman of the Senate Elections Committee shall serve as cochairmen of the committee.

     (4)  A majority of the members of the committee shall constitute a quorum.  In the adoption of the rules, resolutions and reports, an affirmative vote of a majority of the members shall be required.  All members shall be notified in writing of all meetings, such notices shall be mailed at least five (5) days prior to the date on which a meeting is to be held.

     (5)  Members of the committee shall receive the customary per diem compensation, expense reimbursement and mileage for attending committee meetings when the Legislature is not in session.

     (6)  The committee is authorized to accept funds from any source, public or private, to be expended in the implementing of its duties under this section.

     (7)  To effectuate the purposes of this section, any department, division, board, bureau, committee or agency of the state or any political subdivision thereof, shall, at the request of the cochairmen of the committee, provide such facilities, assistance and data as will enable the committee to properly carry out its duties.

     SECTION 2.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2011.