News Scan

Court Limits Felon Voter Law:  In an advisory opinion released Thursday, the Florida Supreme Court confirmed that Amendment 4, passed by voters in 2018, limits which felons will be allowed to vote in state and federal elections.  News4 and the Associated Press report that the initiative grants some 1.4 million ex-felons in Florida who have completed “all terms of sentence” with voting rights.  The court held that the “all terms” requirement includes fees and court-ordered restitution, which must be paid before the ex-felon is authorized to vote.  The ACLU and the Marshall Project opposed the requirement because it discriminates against poor ex-felons who do not have the money to comply.   This requirement could significantly reduce the number ex-felon voters in the next election.