§ 17-9.2-2 - Findings and purpose.
SECTION 17-9.2-2
§ 17-9.2-2 Findings and purpose. –(a) Findings. The legislature finds that:
(1) Voting is both a fundamental right and a civic duty.Restoring the right to vote strengthens our democracy by increasing voterparticipation and helps people who have completed their incarceration toreintegrate into society. Voting is an essential part of reassuming the dutiesof full citizenship.
(2) Rhode Island is the only state in New England that deniesthe vote to people convicted of felonies, not only while they are in prison,but also while they are living in the community under the supervision of paroleor probation officials.
(3) As a result of this extended disfranchisement, RhodeIsland deprives a greater proportion of its residents of voting rights than anyother state in the region. More than fifteen thousand five hundred (15,500)Rhode Islanders have lost the right to vote because of a felony conviction. Ofthese, eighty-six percent (86%) are not in prison, they have either beenreleased or their convictions did not result in actual incarceration. RhodeIsland has the second highest rate of people on probation in the nation.
(4) Criminal disfranchisement in Rhode Island has adisproportionate impact on minority communities. The rate of disfranchisementof African American voters is more than six (6) times the statewide rate.Hispanics lose the vote at more than 2.5 times the statewide average. One infive (5) black men and one in eleven (11) Hispanic men are barred from votingin Rhode Island. By denying so many the right to vote, criminaldisfranchisement laws dilute the political power of entire minoritycommunities. Because these communities are concentrated in cities, the urbanvote is also suppressed, with the rate of disfranchisement in urban areas 3.5times the rate in the rest of the state.
(5) Extending disfranchisement beyond a person's term ofincarceration complicates the process of restoring the right to vote. Undercurrent law, a person may regain that right when released from incarceration ifno parole follows, when discharged from parole, or when probation is completed.This system requires the involvement of many government agencies in therestoration process. This bill would simplify restoration by making peopleeligible to vote once they have served their time in prison, therebyconcentrating in the department of corrections the responsibility forinitiating restoration of voting rights. A streamlined restoration processconserves government resources and saves taxpayer dollars.
(b) Purpose. The purposes of this act are tostrengthen democratic institutions by increasing participation in the votingprocess, to help people who have completed prison sentences to becomeproductive members of society, and to streamline procedures for restoring theirright to vote.