UNOFFICIAL COPY 22 RS BR 1414
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AN ACT proposing an amendment to Section 145 of the Constitution of Kentucky 1
relating to persons entitled to vote. 2
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 3
Section 1. Excluding persons who commit a felony that is a homicide, serious 4
assault, strangulation, human trafficking, treason, bribery in an election, or a violent 5
offense, are you in favor of amending the Constitution of Kentucky to allow the 6
restoration of voting rights for persons convicted of a felony who have completed their 7
sentences, as stated below? 8
Section 2. It is proposed that Section 145 of the Constitution of Kentucky be 9
amended to read as follows: 10
Every citizen of the United States of the age of eighteen years who has resided in 11
the state one year, and in the county six months, and the precinct in which he offers to 12
vote sixty days next preceding the election, shall be a voter in said precinct and not 13
elsewhere but the following persons are excepted and shall not have the right to vote. 14
1. Persons convicted in any court of competent jurisdiction of treason, [or felony, 15
or ]bribery in an election, intentional strangulation, human trafficking, an offense 16
which has as an element the death of the victim, a felony assault which has as an 17
element of the offense the intentional infliction of serious physical injury or the 18
intentional infliction of physical injury by means of a deadly weapon or dangerous 19
instrument, or such felony as the General Assembly may declare to classify the person 20
as a violent offender[or of such high misdemeanor as the General Assembly may declare 21
shall operate as an exclusion from the right of suffrage], but persons hereby excluded may 22
be restored to their civil rights by executive pardon. 23
2. Persons who, at the time of the election, have been convicted of any other 24
felony, but persons hereby excluded shall be restored to their civil rights upon 25
satisfaction of the terms of their probation, parole, or service of sentence, exclusive of 26
restitution, fines, and any other court-ordered monetary conditions. 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 22 RS BR 1414
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3. Persons who, at the time of the election, are in confinement under the 1
judgment of a court for some penal offense. 2
4.[3]. Idiots and insane Persons. 3
Section 3. This amendment shall be submitted to the voters of the 4
Commonwealth for their ratification or rejection at the time and in the manner provided 5
for under Sections 256 and 257 of the Constitution, KRS 118.415, and Sections 4 and 5 6
of this Act. 7
Section 4. Notwithstanding any language in KRS 118.415 to the contrary, the 8
Secretary of State shall cause the entirety of the question in Section 1 of this Act and the 9
entirety of the proposed amendment to the Constitution of Kentucky contained in Section 10
2 of this Act to be published at least one time in a newspaper of general circulation 11
published in this state, and shall also cause to be published at the same time and in the 12
same manner the fact that the amendment will be submitted to the voters for their 13
acceptance or rejection at the next regular election at which members of the General 14
Assembly are to be voted for. The publication required by this section and KRS 118.415 15
shall be made no later than the first Tuesday in August preceding the election at which the 16
amendment is to be voted on. 17
Section 5. Notwithstanding any language in KRS 118.415 to the contrary, the 18
Secretary of State, not later than the second Monday after the second Tuesday in August 19
preceding the next regular election at which members of the General Assembly are to be 20
chosen in a year in which there is not an election for President and Vice President of the 21
United States, or not later than the Thursday after the first Tuesday in September 22
preceding a regular election in a year in which there is an election for President and Vice 23
President of the United States, shall certify the entirety of the question in Section 1 of this 24
Act and the entirety of the proposed amendment to the Constitution of Kentucky 25
contained in Section 2 of this Act to the county clerk of each county, and the county clerk 26
shall have the entirety of the question and the amendment, as so certified, indicated on the 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 22 RS BR 1414
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ballots provided to the voters in paper or electronic form as applicable to the voting 1
machines in use in each county or precinct. 2