ORLANDO, Fla. — The activist who campaigned to restore voting rights to most felons in Florida pledged to keep moving to get more felons to register to vote, despite a new bill by state lawmakers that potentially reduces the number of felons who are eligible.

Desmond Meade and the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition championed Amendment 4, which restored voting rights to most felons after they completed their sentences. That amendment was approved by Florida voters last November.

But Florida Lawmakers passed SB 7066 during the legislative session. Among the provisions in the bill, it further defined Amendment 4 by requiring felons to pay all court fees, fines and restitution first. Meade and other supporters of the Amendment say that paying those costs was not part of the state's previous requirements for clemency. 

Gov. Ron DeSantis says he will sign SB 7066.

Meade says that while the situation is not ideal and strays from the original intent of the amendment voters approved, the reality is, the bill will likely become a law, and they need to move forward.

"While we still maintain that no legislation was needed, the reality is that it’s here. In spite of our belief that this legislation is not ideal, we are committed to operating under the law to register every one of the estimated 840,000 qualified returning citizen in Florida and will utilize the provisions of the legislation to provide relief for the remaining returning citizens that face financial barriers to registering to vote. We’re going to make voting exciting again by doing our part to make a more robust and inclusive democracy.

 

“Over 5.1 million voters cast a ballot for second chances, and because this legislation does not completely reflect the will of Florida voters, we call upon the Governor to use his executive power to amend the current clemency policy to more accurately reflect Floridians’ belief in second chances.”