Bill > S2550

This bill, the Civil Rights Voting Restoration Act of 2014, aims to restore the federal voting rights of individuals convicted of non-violent criminal offenses. It defines key terms such as "correctional institution or facility," "election," "Federal office," "non-violent criminal offense" (meaning any offense not defined as a crime of violence), and "probation" (which includes parole supervision). The core provision states that a U.S. citizen's right to vote in federal elections cannot be denied or restricted due to a conviction for a non-violent offense, unless they are currently serving a sentence in a correctional facility or, with some exceptions, are on probation. For those on probation, voting rights are restored either when their probation ends (if less than a year) or one year after it begins (if a year or longer). The bill also mandates that the Attorney General identify and publish a list of non-violent offenses, establishes enforcement mechanisms including civil actions by the Attorney General and private citizens, and requires states and federal authorities to notify individuals of their restored voting rights upon release or sentencing. Furthermore, it links federal prison funding to states' compliance with these notification requirements, ensuring that states and local governments do not receive federal grants for prison construction or improvement unless they have a program to inform incarcerated individuals of their voting rights upon release. This Act is intended to supplement, not replace, existing voting rights laws like the Voting Rights Act of 1965.