Dear FRRC Family, This week, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that he plans to sign Senate Bill 7066, which includes language that will narrow the number of those previously eligible to vote under Amendment 4. Desmond Meade, Executive Director of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition, issued the following statement regarding the Governor's intention to sign the bill into law: “Governor DeSantis recently announced his plans to sign into law legislation that will impact the ability of returning citizens to register to vote. In spite of this legislation, the intent and historical impact of Amendment 4 still remain firmly intact; it permanently ended the 150-year-old practice of imposing a lifetime ban on voting for American citizens who were convicted of a felony offense. While we still maintain that no legislation was needed, the reality is that it’s here. In spite of our belief that this legislation is not ideal, we are committed to operating under the law to register every one of the estimated 840,000 qualified returning citizens in Florida and will utilize the provisions of the legislation to provide relief for the remaining returning citizens that face financial barriers to registering to vote. We’re going to make voting exciting again by doing our part to make a more robust and inclusive democracy." So, what's next? GET INVOLVED by signing up to register voters here to help bring returning citizens back into our democratic process:
In solidarity, Desmond Meade Executive Director Florida Rights Restoration Coalition