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U.S. NEWS Thursday 30 January 2020
Lawmaker promotes measure to restore felon voting rights

By BRUCE SCHREINER that order once he took of-
Associated Press fice.
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Constitu-
A House Democrat on tion bans convicted felons
Wednesday urged law- from voting. The governor
makers to put a constitu- can restore voting rights
tional measure on Ken- to convicted felons with a
tucky's ballot to automati- pardon.
cally restore voting rights Bevin issued hundreds of
for felons who have com- pardons between his No-
pleted their sentences. vember electoral defeat
The proposed constitution- and his final day in office.
al amendment would be Several pardons stirred
a permanent and broader outrage from victims or
follow-up to a voting rights their families, prosecutors
executive order signed last and lawmakers. Kentucky
month by Gov. Andy Bes- Attorney General Daniel
hear. That order restored Cameron, a Republican,
voting rights for more than has asked the FBI to inves-
140,000 nonviolent offend- tigate.
ers who have completed The ballot measure's sup-
their sentences and fulfilled porters said Wednesday
one of the new governor's that about 312,000 Ken-
campaign pledges. tuckians of voting age Kentucky state Rep. Charles Booker, right, promotes a voting-rights measure on Wednesday, Jan.
Rep. Charles Booker were not allowed to vote 29, 2020, in Frankfort, Ky.
praised the Democratic last year because of the Associated Press
governor's action but said state's "harsh voter disen-
"there is still work to do" as franchisement laws."
he pushed for action on his "Once you have com-
proposed ballot measure. pleted your sentence,
"By executive order, it can you should be able to get
come," he said. "And that back on your feet," Booker
means by executive order, said. "You should be able
it can go away." to have your voice heard
The bill was introduced in again."
early January but remains The Louisville lawmaker's
in committee. If the mea- measure would automati-
sure clears the GOP-led cally restore felon voting
legislature, Kentucky voters rights after completion of
will decide whether to add a prison sentence, proba-
it to the state Constitution. tion or parole. More than
In 2015, former Democratic a dozen House members,
Gov. Steve Beshear — the all Democrats, have signed
current governor's father — on as co-sponsors.
signed an executive order Booker is among several
that would have automati- Democrats seeking their
cally restored voting rights party's nomination this year
to some convicted felons for the U.S. Senate seat
once they completed their held by Republican Sen-
sentences. Republican ate Majority Leader Mitch
Gov. Matt Bevin rescinded McConnell.q