This bill enables a person who has been disqualified from exercising the right to vote to apply for restoration of voting rights if making payments in accordance with a payment plan, as discussed below. Under present law, a felon deprived of the right to vote by the judgment of any state or federal court is eligible to apply for a voter registration card and have the right of suffrage restored. However, the person is not eligible to apply for a voter registration card and have the right of suffrage restored, unless the person: (1) Has paid all restitution to the victim or victims of the offense ordered by the court as part of the sentence; (2) Has paid all court costs assessed against the person at the conclusion of the person's trial, except where the court has made a finding at an evidentiary hearing that the applicant is indigent at the time of application; and (3) Is current in all child support obligations. Under this bill, a person owing obligations described above may still have voting rights restored if the person: (1) Is making installment payments in accordance with a court-authorized payment plan on restitution to the victim or victims of the offense; (2) Is making payments in accordance with a court-approved payment plan on assessed court costs; and (3) Is making payments in accordance with a plan for payment of overdue child support obligations, or is paying through an income assignment.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 67-4-708(3)(C), 67-4-708, 67-4-724