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HB0263 • 2023

Restoration of voting rights-amendments.

AN ACT relating to criminal procedure; providing for the automatic restoration of voting rights for nonviolent felons as specified; making conforming amendments; repealing a provision; and providing for an effective date.

Crime Elections
Did Not Pass

The latest official action shows that this bill did not move forward in that session.

Sponsor
Representative Zwonitzer, Dn
Last action
2023-02-06
Official status
inactive
Effective date
3/1/2023

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation included claims about the Department of Corrections issuing certificates automatically, which was narrowed based on the official text that specifies conditions under which this happens.

Restoration of Voting Rights for Nonviolent Felons

The bill aims to automatically restore voting rights for people who have completed their sentences for nonviolent felonies.

What This Bill Does

  • Changes the law so that voting rights are automatically restored when someone finishes serving time and paying all fines and restitution for a nonviolent felony.
  • Updates other parts of the law to match these changes.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who have completed sentences for nonviolent felonies in Wyoming or elsewhere, provided they have paid any associated fines and restitution.
  • The Department of Corrections, which will handle issuing certificates showing that voting rights have been restored.

Terms To Know

Nonviolent felony
A serious crime that does not involve violence against others.
Certificate of restoration
A document issued by the Department of Corrections showing that someone's voting rights have been restored.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill did not pass and was not signed into law.
  • It only affects people who complete their sentences for nonviolent felonies, provided they have paid all fines and restitution.
  • The effective date of July 1, 2023, does not apply since the bill did not pass.

Bill History

  1. 2023-02-06 House

    H COW:H Did not consider for COW

  2. 2023-02-01 House

    H Placed on General File

  3. 2023-02-01 House

    H10 - Labor:Recommend Do Pass 5-4-0-0-0

  4. 2023-01-31 House

    H Introduced and Referred to H10 - Labor

  5. 2023-01-25 House

    H Received for Introduction

  6. 2023-01-25 LSO

    Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
23LSO-0584
2023
STATE OF WYOMING
23LSO-0584
Numbered
2.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0263

Restoration of voting rights-amendments.

Sponsored by: Representative(s) Zwonitzer, Dn and Provenza and Senator(s) Barlow, Case and Rothfuss

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to criminal procedure; providing for the automatic restoration of voting rights for nonviolent felons as specified; making conforming amendments; repealing a provision; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S. 6
‑
10
‑
106(a)(iv) and 7
‑
13
‑
105(c) and by creating a new subsection (f) are amended to read:

6
‑
10
‑
106.

Rights lost by conviction of felony; restoration.

(a)

A person convicted of a felony is incompetent to be an elector or juror or to hold any office of honor, trust or profit within this state, unless:

(iv)

His rights as an elector are restored pursuant to W.S.
7
‑
13
‑
105(b) and (c)
7
‑
13
‑
105(c) and (f)
, in which case the person shall remain incompetent to be a juror or to hold any office of honor, trust or profit within this state.

7
‑
13
‑
105.

Certificate of restoration of rights; procedure for restoration in general; procedure for restoration of voting rights for nonviolent felonies; filing requirements.

(c)

The department of corrections shall issue a certificate of restoration of voting rights to
eligible
persons
eligible pursuant to subsection (f) of this section
as follows:

(i)

For persons convicted within Wyoming of a nonviolent felony or nonviolent felonies arising out of the same occurrence or related course of events who completed their sentence before January 1, 2010, the department shall require receipt of a written request on a form prescribed by the department and issue each eligible person a certificate of restoration of voting rights following a determination that the person has completed his sentence, including probation and parole
and payment of any fines and restitution
. The department shall not require an application for restoration before issuing a certificate to eligible persons who complete their sentence
including probation and parole and payment of any fines and restitution
on and after January 1, 2010;

(ii)

For persons convicted outside of Wyoming or under federal law of a nonviolent felony or nonviolent felonies arising out of the same occurrence or related course of events, the department shall issue each eligible person a certificate of restoration of voting rights upon receipt of a written request on a form prescribed by the department and following a determination that the person has completed his sentence, including probation and parole
and payment of any fines and restitution
.

(f)

Voting rights lost pursuant to W.S. 6
‑
10
‑
106 for any nonviolent felony shall be deemed restored, with respect to the nonviolent felony, upon the completion of all of the person's sentence, including probation and parole, and payment of any fines and restitution arising from the conviction of the nonviolent felony.

Section 2.

W.S. 7
‑
13
‑
105(b) is repealed.

Section 3
.

This act is effective July 1, 2023
.

(END)

1
HB0263