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Florida Law Impeding Rights Restoration for Returning Citizens Goes into Effect Despite Public Opposition

Location
Orlando, FL

CONTACT: Christiaan Perez, LatinoJustice PRLDEF, [email protected], 212-739-7581

Orlando, FL – This weekend, Governor DeSantis signed into law Senate Bill 7066 which was passed by the Florida Legislature to override the will of the people and impose a fines and fees requirement to block people from having their right to vote restored. Below is a statement by Esperanza Segarra, Senior Counsel at LatinoJustice PRLDEF:

In November 2018 over 64% of Florida citizens voted in favor of Amendment 4 and the restoration of voting rights for returning citizens who have completed their sentence. The Florida State Legislature ignored the will of the citizens of Florida when Amendment 4 was passed by proposing implementation law changing the clear language of the constitutional amendment, then again ignored Floridians during the brief hearings it conducted without allowing all public testimony to be heard.

Governor DeSantis has now rubber-stamped the Legislature’s restriction on the voting rights of 1.6 million Floridians, primarily targeting lower income and communities of color that are unable to pay civil fines.  Voting rights should not be impeded by Florida politicians over the will of Florida voters.

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LatinoJustice PRLDEF works to create a more just society by using and challenging the rule of law to secure transformative, equitable and accessible justice, by empowering our community and by fostering leadership through advocacy and education. For more than 40 years, LatinoJustice PRLDEF has acted as an advocate against injustices throughout New York and beyond. To learn more about LatinoJustice, visit www.latinojustice.org.