Sen. Perry recordsdata invoice to grant full restoration of civil rights to non-violent offenders

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GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) – A north central Florida legislature has passed a bill to make it easier for nonviolent offenders to fully restore their voting rights.

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Senator Keith Perry tabled a 1932 bill Monday to restore the right to vote, sit on a jury, hold public office and possess a firearm for criminals convicted of nonviolent crimes and serving their sentences.

“I believe we can make the process even more efficient for nonviolent offenders to regain all of their civil rights and help them return successfully to society. This will lead to a reduction in recidivism rates and the costs that taxpayers bear in relation to the criminal justice system, ”Sen. Perry said in a press release.

While 2018 Amendment IV opened up a path for many criminals to have their civil rights fully restored, they would still have to turn to a criminal review panel to do so.

Perry’s reckoning would do it automatically for many.

Nearly 1.5 million people in Florida whose voting rights could be restored under Amendment 4 of 2018 have yet to file an application with the Florida Commission on Offender Review (FCOR) for full restoration of their civil rights.

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“We all know of a Florida Parole Commission study that found ex-criminals whose rights were restored are less likely to recur or commit new offenses, and the recidivism rate for that group has dropped significantly,” said Senator Perry. “We have the opportunity to further improve the process and efficiently restore the basic constitutional rights of people with criminal records who have paid their debts to society.”

The bill must be reviewed in a Senate committee before proceeding

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