Bills › 89th General Assembly
Relating to the restoration of voting rights to certain convicted persons and including effective date provisions
Sponsored by the House Judiciary Committee
Topics:Courts & civil lawCrime & correctionsElections & voting
Same legislation: HSB 231
Where it is now
- Done: IntroducedFebruary 18, 2021
- Done: SubcommitteeFebruary 18, 2021
- Done: House committeeMarch 5, 2021
- Done: Passes the HouseMarch 24, 202167–28
- Stopped: Senate committeeDied when the General Assembly ended
- Next: Passes the Senate
- Next: To the Governor
- Next: Signed into law
Died when the session ended The 2022 session adjourned on May 24, 2022, the General Assembly’s last regular session. Bills that didn’t pass both chambers died. What’s a funnel?
What’s in it
AI summary If voters approve a constitutional amendment to restore voting rights to people with felony convictions, this law would set the rules for when those rights return. It says a person's sentence is only considered finished once they complete prison, parole, probation, and any required special treatments or payments. People must also receive a governor's pardon for certain homicide crimes and pay all court-ordered restitution to victims before they can vote again.1
Read the official explanation
This bill relates to the definition of a discharge of a criminal sentence for the purposes of the automatic restoration of a convicted person’s voting rights pursuant to a constitutional amendment originating in a resolution passed during the 89th general assembly relating to the restoration of the voting rights of felons upon the discharge of a criminal sentence. If the constitutional amendment contained in such a resolution is ratified by the electors pursuant to Article X, section 1, of the Constitution of the State of Iowa, the bill becomes effective and defines the discharge of a criminal sentence as including all of the following: the completion of confinement, parole, and probation, and any special sentence imposed pursuant to Code chapter 903B (sex offender special sentencing and hormone treatment), the offense of child endangerment resulting in the death of a child or minor, or election misconduct in the first degree; the receipt of a pardon or a restoration of rights from the governor for an offense under Code chapter 707 (homicide and related crimes); and the payment of all pecuniary damages owed to a natural person imposed pursuant to Code chapter 910 (restitution). The bill is repealed if a constitutional amendment relating to the restoration of the voting rights of felons upon the discharge of a criminal sentence is not ratified prior to January 1, 2025.
Senate subcommittee
Named March 29, 2021. It hasn’t reported yet.
Three legislators hear a bill first and recommend what the committee should do; it’s the best time to weigh in. How to take part
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89th General Assembly
Earlier and later bills are matched by wording or an identical title.
Tried before
This idea has been filed in an earlier General Assembly. A version became law.
- SF 2129 Relating to the restoration of voting rights to certain convicted persons and including ef…88th General Assembly · Renumbered as SF 2348 · same titleCleared committee
- SF 2348 Relating to the restoration of voting rights to certain convicted persons and including ef…88th General Assembly · Signed by Governor · very similarBecame law
Matched by wording or an identical title.