Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaApril 4, 2018

Gov. Rick Scott and the Florida Cabinet will appeal a federal judge’s order to devise a new process for restoring voting rights to felons. The Governor’s Office announced the move Wednesday morning. The appeal will be filed with the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. “People elected by Floridians should determine Florida’s clemency rules for […]

Ana CeballosFebruary 12, 2018

In response to a federal judge saying that the Florida’s voting rights restoration process is unconstitutional, the state’s legal team said Monday the state’s clemency board should fix its flaws — not the courts. State Solicitor General Amit Agarwal argued that U.S. District Judge Mark Walker should not issue any corrective orders, saying “there is […]

Larry GriffinJanuary 27, 2017

A new joint resolution in the House would allow felons the right to vote in Florida three years after their sentence is up. The resolution by Rep. Al Jacquet of West Palm Beach would, if passed on the next general election (or a special election specifically for this) ballot, amend the statutes on voting to […]

Larry GriffinJanuary 6, 2017

Senator Randolph Bracy, newly elected to District 11, is taking initiative in his role on the Senate Criminal Justice Committee with a new bill that would give tax credits to businesses which hire felons. The bill, SB 276, amends the Florida statute on state work opportunity tax credits to include a new section, which offers […]

Staff ReportsOctober 26, 2016

A panel of state economists and forecasters spent Wednesday editing their notes on the costs of a constitutional amendment on felons’ voting rights. Amy Baker, who heads the Legislature’s Office of Economic and Demographic Research, noted the amendment’s opponents never submitted written material or testimony. The proposed Florida Voting Restoration Amendment would automatically return voting rights to felons who have completed their […]

Michael MolineOctober 17, 2016

A state panel struggled Monday to figure out a price tag for the proposed Florida Voter Restoration Amendment, which would automatically restore voting rights to felons who have completed their sentences. The Financial Impact Estimating Conference heard testimony from a variety of state criminal justice agencies indicating it might be hard to nail down what the […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterOctober 10, 2016

Floridians think banning the sale of semi-automatic assault weapons would be a step in the right direction. Almost half (49 percent) of Floridians view a ban of the sale of semi-automatic assault weapons as a move in the right direction, according to the 2016 USF-Nielsen Sunshine State Survey. Thirty-seven percent said they thought a ban […]

Darryl PaulsonApril 27, 2016

Few things divide voters more than giving criminals the right to vote, even if they are former criminals. The issue will likely receive additional attention with the decision by Virginia’s Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe to use his executive power to extend voting rights to all 206,000 felons in his state. Even murderers, rapists and other […]

Darryl PaulsonApril 26, 2016

Few things divide voters more than giving criminals the right to vote, even if they are former criminals. The issue will likely receive additional attention with the decision by Virginia’s Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe to use his executive power to extend voting rights to all 206,000 felons in his state. Even murderers, rapists and other […]

Guest AuthorApril 9, 2014

In 2013 the U.S. Congress appointed a bipartisan Over-Criminalization Task Force, comprised of 10 congressmen, to scrutinize the 4,500 felonies criminalized by federal law. Reappointed in February to continue its work, the task force is seeking to reform criminal justice policies that make the United States the runaway incarceration leader in the world. Think about […]

Tag: felons
Image via Palatka Main Street.

Rick Scott, Cabinet appeal voting rights ruling

State, voting rights group disagree on how to handle clemency process

Joint House resolution would restore felon voting rights after three years

Randolph Bracy’s SB 276 would give tax credits to businesses for hiring felons

Economists wrap up consideration of felons’ voting rights

Panel finds no easy answers on costs of voter rights restoration

Nearly half of Floridians think assault weapons ban is step in right direction

Darryl Paulson: It’s time to let more felons vote in Florida

Darryl Paulson: It’s time to let more felons vote in Florida

Dan McCarthy: Florida needs to take a fresh look at crime and punishment