House Bill 616 aims to amend various sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated concerning the restoration of citizenship rights, particularly the right to vote for individuals convicted of infamous crimes. The bill modifies the criteria for voter eligibility by allowing individuals who have completed their sentences, including incarceration, probation, or parole, to have their voting rights restored. It introduces new language that specifies a person’s right of suffrage can be restored due to the expiration of their sentence and clarifies that individuals are ineligible to vote only while they are currently imprisoned or serving probation or parole for their conviction.

Additionally, the bill establishes a process for issuing certificates of voting rights restoration, which serve as proof that a person is no longer disqualified from voting due to an infamous crime conviction. It mandates that the Department of Correction provide regular updates to the Secretary of State regarding newly eligible individuals, facilitating their voter registration. The bill also emphasizes that the inability to pay monetary obligations, such as fines or child support, cannot further infringe upon a person's right to vote. Overall, House Bill 616 seeks to enhance the accessibility of voting rights for individuals who have served their sentences.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 2-2-102, 2-2-116, 2-2-139(a), 2-2-139, 2-2-139(b), 2-19-143, 40-29-101, 40-29-105(b)(2), 40-29-105, 40-29-202, 40-29-203