GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2007

H                                                                                                                                                    1

HOUSE BILL 1020

Short Title:     Rights of Ex-Offenders.		(Public)
Sponsors:	Representatives Pierce, Womble, Farmer-Butterfield, Adams (Primary Sponsors);  Bryant, Harrison, Insko, Luebke, and Wainwright.
Referred to:	Judiciary II.

March 27, 2007

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT to facilitate voter registration by former felons upon the completion of their sentence and the restoration of their citizenship.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  Article 7A of Chapter 163 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:

"§ 163-82.20A. Voter registration upon restoration of citizenship.

The State Board of Elections, the Department of Correction, and the Administrative Office of the Courts shall jointly develop and implement educational programs and procedures for persons to apply to register to vote at the time they are restored to citizenship and all filings required have been completed under Chapter 13 of the General Statutes. Those procedures shall be designed to do both of the following:

(1) Inform the person that the restoration of rights removes the person's disqualification from voting but that in order to vote, the person must register to vote.

(2) Provide an opportunity to that person to register to vote.

At a minimum, the program shall include a written notice to the person whose citizenship has been restored, informing that person that the person may now register to vote, with a voter registration form enclosed with the notice."

SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2007.