Bill > H798

This bill aims to increase voter registration and participation among people incarcerated for felony convictions in Massachusetts in order to help prevent recidivism. The key provisions of the bill are: 1. It designates correctional facilities as voter registration agencies, requiring them to provide voter registration forms and absentee ballot applications to eligible incarcerated voters, as well as assistance in completing and submitting the forms. 2. It requires correctional facilities to notify inmates upon their release that their voting rights have been restored, and to provide them with voter registration forms. 3. It requires the Secretary of State to ensure that the names of eligible voters who are discharged from incarceration are added to the statewide voter registration database and that they face no continued barriers to registration or voting. 4. It requires the courts to advise defendants facing disfranchisement due to a felony conviction of the loss and restoration of their voting rights during plea colloquies. The overall goal is to streamline the process of restoring voting rights to former felons and increase their civic engagement, which research suggests can help reduce recidivism.

Government Affairs

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/H798