BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 2243
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   April 9, 2014

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

                 AB 2243 (Weber) - As Introduced:  February 21, 2014 

          Policy Committee:                              Public  
          SafetyVote:  5-1

          Urgency:     No                   State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:               

           SUMMARY  

          This bill requires the California Department of Corrections and  
          Rehabilitation (CDCR) to either (1) establish and maintain on  
          the department's website a link to the Secretary of State's  
          voting rights guide for incarcerated persons, or (2) post in  
          each parole office where parolees are seen, a notice that  
          contains the website address for the Secretary of State's voting  
          rights guide for incarcerated persons.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          Negligible.

           COMMENTS  

           1)Rationale  . This bill is intended to ensure that 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. 

           2)Current law  specifies that to be eligible to vote, an  
            individual must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of California,  
            not in prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony, not  
            deemed mentally incompetent, and at least 18 years of age at  
            the time of the next election.

            Current law also requires the facility administrator of a  
            local jail to develop written policies and procedures whereby  
            the county registrar of voters allows qualified voters to vote  
            in local, state, and federal elections. Similarly, when an  








                                                                  AB 2243
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            inmate or parolee is released from the custody of CDCR, that  
            person is given a Certificate of Discharge, which includes the  
            following statement: "An ex-felon becomes eligible to vote  
            after being discharged from parole. You may obtain a Voter  
            Registration Card by contacting the Elections Division of the  
            California Secretary of State's Office at (800) 345-VOTE  
            (800-345-8683)." 

           3)Prior Legislation  :  AB 149 (Weber), Statutes of 2013, requires  
            each county probation department to either (1) establish and  
            maintain on the department's website a link to the Secretary  
            of State's voting rights guide for incarcerated persons, or  
            (2) post  in each probation office where probationers are  
            seen, a notice that contains the website address for the  
            Secretary of State's voting rights guide for incarcerated  
            persons.
            

           Analysis Prepared by  :    Geoff Long / APPR. / (916) 319-2081