Committee hears testimony supporting bills to restore voting rights to people on probation and parole; sponsors say bills would allow most on supervision to vot

State Representatives Kimberly‑Ann Collins and Marlon Anderson presented companion bills to the House Committee on Corrections that would restore voting rights to most people on probation or parole.

Representative Kimberly‑Ann Collins, sponsor, told the committee that the bills (identified in the hearing as House Bill 847 and House Bill 790) would permit individuals on probation or parole for felony convictions to vote unless they were convicted of crimes directly related to voting (for example voter fraud or other election‑related offenses). Collins said the bills would reverse the current rule that people lose voting rights until they are fully discharged from their sentence and that the change recognizes that people working and paying taxes in communities should be able to participate civically.

Representative Marlon Anderson said the bills reflect his experience supervising people on probation and parole and that civic engagement can support reintegration. He and Collins told the committee they based the proposals on both policy and individual cases they and others have worked on; Collins cited the case of Bobby Bostic, a…