Mississippi House Bill HC28

Mississippi 2023 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/16/23
• Refer: 1/16/23
• Failed: 1/31/23

Caption

Constitution; amend to restore voting rights after certain time to qualified electors who have committed a felony.

Impact

The amendment would directly impact Section 241 of the Mississippi Constitution, which recognizes qualified electors. The proposed changes stipulate that individuals with felony convictions would lose their right to vote immediately upon conviction, contrasting with the previous framework under Section 253 that allowed the legislature to restore voting rights by a two-thirds vote. This shift could result in a significant number of individuals being disenfranchised in Mississippi, particularly affecting communities with higher rates of incarceration, thus widening the gap in electoral participation among those populations.

Summary

House Concurrent Resolution 28 proposes a significant amendment to the Mississippi Constitution of 1890 with respect to voting rights for individuals convicted of felonies. The key focus of the bill is to suspend the right to vote for qualified electors upon felony conviction, reinstating that right only after all sentencing requirements have been fulfilled. This change emphasizes a more stringent approach to voting rights, targeting those who have faced felony judgments and altering the existing framework of restoration for voting rights in the state. The bill seeks to streamline the electoral eligibility process by directly linking the completion of a felony sentence to the restoration of voting rights.

Contention

Supporters of HC28 may argue that the measure upholds the integrity of the electoral process by ensuring that only individuals who have completed their sentences and fulfilled legal obligations can participate in elections. However, the bill is likely to face opposition from civil rights advocates who may contend that the measure further marginalizes disenfranchised communities and undermines the principle of rehabilitation. Critics will likely raise concerns about the implications of automatically suspending voting rights and the potential exacerbation of existing social inequities in the political landscape.