BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 2243 Page 1 ASSEMBLY THIRD READING AB 2243 (Weber) As Introduced February 21, 2014 Majority vote PUBLIC SAFETY 5-1 APPROPRIATIONS 13-4 ----------------------------------------------------------------- |Ayes:|Ammiano, Jones-Sawyer, |Ayes:|Gatto, Bocanegra, | | |Quirk, Skinner, Stone | |Bradford, | | | | |Ian Calderon, Campos, | | | | |Donnelly, Eggman, Gomez, | | | | |Holden, Pan, Quirk, | | | | |Ridley-Thomas, Weber | | | | | | |-----+--------------------------+-----+--------------------------| |Nays:|Melendez |Nays:|Bigelow, Allen, Linder, | | | | |Wagner | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY : Requires the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) to make specified information relating to voting rights of incarcerated persons available to the public. Specifically, this bill : 1)Requires CDCR to do one of the following: a) Establish and maintain on the department's Internet Web site a hyperlink to the Internet Web site at which the Secretary of State's voting rights guide for incarcerated persons may be found. b) Post, in each parole office where parolees are seen, a notice that contains the Internet Web site address at which the Secretary of State's voting rights guide for incarcerated persons may be found. EXISTING LAW : 1)Requires each county probation department to do one of the following: a) Establish and maintain on the county probation department's Internet Web site a hyperlink to the Internet AB 2243 Page 2 Web site at which the Secretary of State's voting rights guide for incarcerated persons may be found. b) Post, in each county probation department where probationers are seen, a notice that contains the Internet Web site address at which the Secretary of State's voting rights guide for incarcerated persons may be found. 2)Requires the Legislature to provide for the disqualification of electors while mentally incompetent or imprisoned or on parole for the conviction of a felony. 3)Requires that a person be a U.S. citizen, California resident, not in prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony, and at least 18 years of age at the time of the next election to be entitled to register to vote in this state. 4)Requires the facility administrator of a local detention facility to develop written policies and procedures whereby the county registrar of voters allows qualified voters to vote in local, state, and federal elections, pursuant to election codes. FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, negligible state costs. COMMENTS : According to the author, "Civic participation can be a critical component of re-entry and has been linked to reduced recidivism, persons involved in our criminal justice system are not apprised of their voting rights nor is accurate voter information readily accessible to them. Rumors and misinformation abound, and even from courts, public defenders and elections officials often give out incorrect information about voter eligibility. "AB 2243 is a modest measure that aims to ensure persons involved in the criminal justice system are given accurate information about their voting rights and are afforded the opportunity to participate in the civic life of their communities by either requiring each county parole department to post hyperlink on its internet website to the Secretary of State's voting guide for current and formerly incarcerated persons or by posting a notice with the Internet web address containing the Secretary of State's voting rights guide for AB 2243 Page 3 incarcerated persons in each parole office where parolees are seen." Please see the policy committee analysis for a full discussion of this bill. Analysis Prepared by : Gregory Pagan / PUB. S. / (916) 319-3744 FN: 0003162