The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF), along with the Florida State Conference of the NAACP, has submitted a number of letters to the Florida House and Senate urging legislators to oppose bills under consideration that would significantly undermine Amendment 4’s historic mandate to expand voting rights in Florida.
During the November 2018 midterm election, Florida voters overwhelmingly voted yes on Amendment 4, which restored voting rights to 1.4 million individuals with prior felony convictions. Our letter asserts that Amendment 4’s self-executing plain language directly negates the Florida Legislature’s purported need to pass any legislation following Amendment 4’s historic passage. Based on the current versions of House Bill 7089 and Senate Bill 7086, either bill has the potential to significantly undermine and alter the impact of this historic mandate that expanded voting rights in Florida. Equally important, passing either one would contradict the monumental decision Florida’s voters made and impede their right to have a say in building a stronger and more inclusive democracy.
Read LDF’s April 30 Letter to the Florida Senate here.
Read LDF’s April 22 Letter to the Florida House of Representatives here.
Read LDF’s April 22 Letter to the Florida Senate Rules Committee here.
Read LDF’s April 9 Letter to the Florida House of Representatives Judiciary Committee here.
Read LDF’s April 8 Letter to the Florida Senate Judiciary Committee here.
Read LDF’s April 3 Letter to the Florida House of Representatives State Affairs Committee here.
