Bill > HB245

This bill, titled the Alabama Restoration of Voting Rights Act, aims to automatically restore voting rights to individuals convicted of felonies once they are discharged from incarceration, repealing the previous cumbersome application process through the Board of Pardons and Paroles. It clarifies that voting rights are only lost during incarceration for felonies involving moral turpitude, except for treason and impeachment, and requires courts to inform defendants of this restoration upon release. The bill also mandates educational programs for officials and the public regarding these changes, streamlines processes for voter registration for those re-enfranchised, and amends existing laws to reflect these new provisions, including allowing incarcerated individuals who remain eligible to vote to cast absentee ballots. A temporary joint legislative oversight committee will monitor the implementation of this act for three years.