Bill > HB1196

This bill narrows the definition of an "infamous crime" in Washington state to only include state crimes punishable by death, which significantly changes voting rights restoration for people with criminal convictions. Currently, individuals convicted of felonies could lose their voting rights, but under this new legislation, voting rights would only be revoked for those convicted of a state crime punishable by death. When a person is convicted of such a crime and sentenced to total confinement, their voting rights are automatically revoked, but those rights are also automatically restored once they are no longer serving a sentence of total confinement under the department of corrections. The bill requires individuals whose voting rights have been restored to re-register to vote before casting a ballot. Additionally, the legislation modifies various related statutes to align with this new definition, including voter registration forms, ballot declarations, and jury service eligibility. The bill, which may be known as the "free the vote act," aims to reduce voting restrictions for individuals with criminal records by limiting the circumstances under which voting rights can be suspended.

Government Affairs

https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=1196&Year=2025&Initiative=false