NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A new Tennessee law has eased up on two longstanding financial hurdles for people with felony sentences who want their voting rights back, including a unique requirement among states that they must have fully paid their child support costs. The Republican-supermajority Legislature approved the Democratic-sponsored change, which now lets people prove they have complied for the last year with child support orders, such as payment plans. The legislation also unties the payment of all court costs from voting rights restoration. Advocates for years have sought various changes to Tennessee’s voting rights restoration system at the statehouse and in court. They say loosening these two rules marks the biggest rollback of restrictions to voting rights restoration in decades. “This is huge and this is history,” said Keeda Haynes, senior attorney for the advocacy group Free Hearts led by formerly incarcerated women like her.
Most Republicans voted for it and Democrats supported it unanimously. The law took effect immediately upon Republican Gov. Bill Lee’s signature last week. “I think people are at a point where they want to just remove the barriers out of the way and allow people to be fully functional members of society,” said Democratic House Minority Leader Karen Camper, a bill sponsor. In 2023, the state decided gun rights were required to restore the right to vote, and shelved a paperwork process that didn’t require going to court. Election officials said a court ruling made the changes necessary, though voting rights advocates said officials misinterpreted the order.
Easing up on the financial requirements uncommonly split legislative Republicans. Senate Speaker Randy McNally voted against it, while House Speaker Cameron Sexton supported it, stating that individuals must continue to pay their child support. Advocates credited their narrowed focus, resulting in a significant alteration of prior stringent requirements, though they aimed for more comprehensive reforms.
Last year marked the dismissal of a five-year-old federal lawsuit regarding Tennessee’s voting-rights restoration system. Critically, approximately 184,000 individuals have completed supervision for felonies and could potentially access restored voting rights under the new provisions. As states reconsider their voting rights restoration processes, Tennessee's changes signal a notable shift in addressing the disenfranchisement of felons, amidst growing national discourse on voting accessibility.
Most Republicans voted for it and Democrats supported it unanimously. The law took effect immediately upon Republican Gov. Bill Lee’s signature last week. “I think people are at a point where they want to just remove the barriers out of the way and allow people to be fully functional members of society,” said Democratic House Minority Leader Karen Camper, a bill sponsor. In 2023, the state decided gun rights were required to restore the right to vote, and shelved a paperwork process that didn’t require going to court. Election officials said a court ruling made the changes necessary, though voting rights advocates said officials misinterpreted the order.
Easing up on the financial requirements uncommonly split legislative Republicans. Senate Speaker Randy McNally voted against it, while House Speaker Cameron Sexton supported it, stating that individuals must continue to pay their child support. Advocates credited their narrowed focus, resulting in a significant alteration of prior stringent requirements, though they aimed for more comprehensive reforms.
Last year marked the dismissal of a five-year-old federal lawsuit regarding Tennessee’s voting-rights restoration system. Critically, approximately 184,000 individuals have completed supervision for felonies and could potentially access restored voting rights under the new provisions. As states reconsider their voting rights restoration processes, Tennessee's changes signal a notable shift in addressing the disenfranchisement of felons, amidst growing national discourse on voting accessibility.
