Florida Moves to Lowers Hurdles to Restoring Felons' Rights

Apr 05, 01:20 PM

Current Headlines: TALLAHASSEE, Fla. _ Quoting the U.S. Constitution and Abraham Lincoln, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist won approval Thursday for a plan that eliminates hurdles to the restoration of civil rights to felons but falls short of the automatic restoration the governor promised on the campaign trail.

The proposal, supported by state CFO Alex Sink and Agriculture Commissioner Charles Bronson, creates a three-tiered approval process for ex-cons, depending on the severity of their crime, and allows those who have committed lesser felonies to get their rights restored if the governor and two Cabinet members sign off on a petition that requires no formal hearing.

Once that happens, the felons would be able to vote, serve on a jury, be elected to office and obtain professional licenses. They would not be allow to carry a firearm without seeking a full hearing of the governor and Clemency Board.

"We should serve with malice toward none, with charity for all," Crist said, quoting Lincoln's second inaugural address. In some ways, the governor said, the nation is "still healing" from the wounds of the Civil War with five Southern states still preventing automatic restoration of civil rights.

"This is Holy Week," Crist said. "A week that is all about forgiveness _ a fundamental belief of both Passover and Easter. The debt for a person's wrongs can be paid in full."

Bronson explained that he supported the bill because it still includes hurdles for felons.

"Just because there's a tier in there doesn't mean people automatically are going to get their rights; only if two-plus and the governor approve those rights," Bronson said.

Attorney General Bill McCollum, a member of the Cabinet, attempted and failed to amend the proposal to require all felons to wait five years before any rights can be restored under the plan. Bronson succeeded in requiring anyone who commits a second crime to come before the board for a full review before having civil rights restored again.

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