HB 687

Present law provides that a person is not eligible to apply for a voter registration card and have the right of suffrage restored, unless the person has paid all court costs assessed against the person at the conclusion of the person's trial, except wher e the court has made a finding at an evidentiary hearing that the applicant is indigent at the time of application. This bill removes this provision. Present law provides that a person is not eligible to apply for a voter registration card and have the right to suffrage restored, unless the person is current in all child support obligations. This bill, instead, requires the person to be compliant wit h all current child support orders, including orders related to child support arrearages. Present law prohibits persons convicted of certain offenses from ever being eligible to register and vote in this state. This bill, instead, provides that such persons are ineligible to register and vote in this state unless at least three years have el apsed since the person's sentence completion date, and the person has met all other qualifications to restore their right of suffrage. The offenses are as follows:  Those convicted after July 1, 1986, of the offenses of voter fraud, treason, murder in the first degree, or aggravated rape.  Those convicted after July 1, 1996, but before July 1, 2006, of any of the offenses set out in the prior provision or any other degree of murder or rape.  Those convicted on or after July 1, 2006, of (i) any of the offenses set out in the prior two provisions; (ii) any other violation of bribery offenses, misconduct involving public officials and employee offenses, and interference with government operations offenses, that are designated as a felony or any violation containing the same elements and designated as a felony in any other state or federal court; or (iii) any sexual offense or violent sexual offense set out in certain law that is designated as a felony or any violation containing the same elements and designated as a felony in any other state or federal court and where the victim of the offense was a minor. ON APRIL 7, 2025, THE SENATE ADOPTED AMENDMENT #2 AND RESET SENATE BILL 336, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #2 removes the provision authorizing persons convicted of certain offenses as described in the summary to be eligible to register and vote in this state if at least three years have elapsed since the person's sentence completion date, and the person has met all other qualifications to restore their right of suffrage. ON APRIL 10, 2025, THE SENATE FURTHER CONSIDERED SENATE BILL 336, AS AMENDED BY AMENDMENT #2, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #3, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 336, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #3 revises the provision requiring the person seeking a voter registration card and the right to suffrage to be restored to be compliant with all current child support orders, including orders related to child support arrearages, by requiring such compliance for the previous 12 months. ON MARCH 9, 2026, THE HOUSE SUBSTITUTED SENATE BILL 336 FOR HOUSE BILL 687, ADOPTED AMENDMENT #1, AND PASSED SENATE BILL 336, AS AMENDED. AMENDMENT #1 rewrites the bill to, instead, revise present law that prohibits a person convicted of an infamous crime after May 18, 1981, from being eligible to have the right to vote restored unless the person meets all of the following requirements: (1) The person h as paid all restitution to the victim or victims of the offense ordered by the court as part of the sentence . (2) The person has paid all court costs assessed against the person at the conclusion of the person's trial, except where the court has made a finding at an evidentiary hearing that the person is indigent at the time of filing the petition for restoration of the right of s uffrage . (3) The person i s current in all child support obligations. This amendment removes (2) and (3) above and, instead, requires the person to have been compliant with all child support orders for the previous 12 months, including orders related to child support arrearages.