BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 2243
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 2243 (Weber)
As Introduced February 21, 2014
Majority vote
PUBLIC SAFETY 5-1 APPROPRIATIONS 13-4
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|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 |
| | | | |
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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
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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
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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