Committee carries over bill to require Pardons and Paroles to notify people about voting-rights restoration after lawmakers raise legal and procedural questions

At a Judiciary Committee meeting, lawmakers discussed a bill introduced by Senator Coleman Madison that would require the Board of Pardons and Paroles and the Secretary of State to jointly make instructions and a form available on their websites and to notify county boards of registrars when individuals meet eligibility thresholds to apply for restoration of voting rights.

Senator Coleman Madison, the bill sponsor, said the measure is intended to make the process visible to people who have been convicted and to reduce the burden on individuals trying to learn whether they qualify. "This is a bill involving restoration of voting rights and notifications of those that have been convicted in seeking to restore their voting rights," she said, noting pardons and paroles already keep records of fines, restitution and other requirements.

The committee spent extensive time on an amendment drafted for clarity that would replace language on page 2 to specify when and how a person may apply for a certificate of eligibility. The amendment uses the phrase "has subsequently met 1 of the criteria set forth in section 15-22-36.1(a)" to describe when a person is "eligible to apply." That phrase drew repeated questions from members about whether the amendment would permit application after satisfying a single criterion or only after meeting all statutory conditions for eligibility.

"We felt like the bill as written is in conflict with our current law," Representative Farnsworth said, citing a statutory provision he said requires multiple criteria. Representative Almond proposed a drafting change: strike the clause limiting notification to those who "met 1 of the criteria ... prior to 10/01/2025" so the requirement simply directs the agencies to make a form and instructions available on their websites.

Several members also raised operational questions about who would do the notifying and whether the Secretary of State has taken a position on the bill. Senator Coleman Madison replied that Pardons and Paroles already maintains the records and that the office had indicated it could provide certified information to the Secretary of State. Representative Stange, speaking from experience as a probation officer, described existing on-the-ground notification practices: "As a probation officer, when somebody came off probation, I would tell them, I say, hey, listen ... you're eligible to vote."

Committee members agreed the language needs technical and legal review. Senator Coleman Madison asked to take the bill over to work with Legislative Services Agency (LSA) and stakeholders to resolve drafting and implementation questions. The committee agreed to carry the bill over so sponsors can revise the amendment and confirm operational responsibilities with Pardons and Paroles and the Secretary of State.

Next steps: the sponsor will meet with LSA and agency staff to clarify whether the proposed notice is triggered by meeting one statutory criterion or by satisfying all eligibility criteria and will return to the committee with revised language.