HB7: Restoration of civil right to vote; person convicted of nonviolent felony, eligibility to register.
HOUSE BILL NO. 7
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That § 53.1-231.2 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§ 53.1-231.2. Restoration of the civil right to be eligible to register to vote to certain persons.
This section shall
apply to any person who is not a qualified voter because of a felony
conviction, who seeks to have his right to register to vote restored
and become eligible to register to vote, and who meets the conditions and
requirements set out in this section.
Any person who is not a
qualified voter because of a felony conviction, other than
a person (i) convicted of a violent felony as defined in § 19.2-297.1 or in
subsection C of § 17.1-805 and any crime ancillary thereto, (ii) convicted of a
felony pursuant to §§ 18.2-248,
18.2-248.01, 18.2-248.1, 18.2-255, 18.2-255.2 or § 18.2-258.02 drug offense set forth in Articles 1 (§ 18.2-247
et seq.) and 1.1 (§ 18.2-265.1 et seq.) of
Chapter 7 of Title 18.2, or (iii) convicted of a felony
pursuant to § 24.2-1016, may petition the circuit
court of the county or city in which he was convicted of a felony, or the
circuit court of the county or city in which he presently resides, for
restoration of shall have
his civil right to be eligible to register to vote
through the process set out in this section. On such petition, the court may
approve the petition for restoration to the person of his right if the court is
satisfied from the evidence presented that the petitioner has completed, five
or more years previously, service
automatically restored upon completion of any sentence and
any modification of sentence,
including probation, parole, and suspension of sentence;
that the petitioner has demonstrated civic responsibility through community or
comparable service; and that the petitioner has been free
from criminal convictions, excluding traffic infractions, for the same period, and the payment in full of any restitution,
fines, costs, and fees assessed against the person as a result of the felony
conviction.
If the court approves
the petition, it shall so state in an order, provide a copy of the order to the
petitioner, and transmit its order to the Secretary of the Commonwealth. The
order shall state that the petitioner's right to be eligible to register to
vote may be restored by the date that is 90 days after the date of the order,
subject to the approval or denial of restoration of that right by the Governor.
The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall transmit the order to the Governor who
may grant or deny the petition for restoration of the right to be eligible to
register to vote approved by the court order. The Secretary of the Commonwealth
shall send, within 90 days of the date of the order, to the petitioner at the
address stated on the court's order, a certificate of restoration of that right
or notice that the Governor has denied the restoration of that right. The
Governor's denial of a petition for the restoration of voting rights shall be a
final decision and the petitioner shall have no right of appeal. The Secretary
shall notify the court and the State Board of Elections in each case of the
restoration of the right or denial of restoration by the Governor.
On receipt of the
certificate of restoration of the right to register to vote from the Secretary
of the Commonwealth, the petitioner, who is otherwise a qualified voter, shall
become eligible to register to vote.