A coalition of groups working to restore the voting rights of convicted felons is growing concerned about the prospect of passing a bill this session. Legislation allowing felons to vote once they’re out of jail, rather than waiting until they’re off probation, is poised for a floor vote in the Minnesota Senate. But it does not yet have a scheduled hearing in the House. The committee deadline is Friday. During a news conference Wednesday, Jason Adkins, executive director of the Minnesota Catholic Conference said the bill enjoys broad bipartisan support.
“All we’re looking for is to move this bill forward in the House,” Adkins said. “There’s very little legislative opposition. We need to meet committee deadlines soon, and we’re asking House leaders and the House of Representatives to move this bill forward this year and pass this legislation.”
The Restore the Vote Coalition estimates there are 47,000 Minnesotans who live in the community but are unable to vote due to a felony conviction.
Full Article: Time running out on felon voting bill | Capitol View | Minnesota Public Radio News.