Jeb Bush urged to restore felons' rights

The Florida Legislature may tackle the state's troubled clemency system, starting with a plea by influential Republicans to the governor to automatically restore the rights of felons. Two powerful Republican lawmakers are urging Gov. Jeb Bush to restore civil rights to felons who have completed their sentences -- and have vowed to support a voter referendum to end Florida's 137-year-old ban altogether if the governor refuses. Sen. Stephen Wise, a Jacksonville Republican and chairman of the criminal justice committee, said the Legislature could put an amendment on the ballot that would permanently eliminate the ban from the Florida Constitution if a majority of voters approves. 'I think it has great potential,'' he said. ``If our committee would do it, then we could get this [idea] out of the Legislature and get it onto a statewide ballot. Its time has come.'' The idea also has the backing of Senate Majority Leader Alex Villalobos, a Miami Republican. ''If the governor doesn't change it, perhaps the people of the state of Florida should get involved and change it, and I support that concept,'' he said. The comments by Wise and Villalobos bring bipartisan support to an issue pushed for years by a small group of African-American Democrats. Florida is one of seven states that strip felons of their civil rights for life unless the Clemency Board, composed of the governor and Cabinet, restores them. The state Constitution gives the Board complete authority over who regains rights, including the right to vote and serve on a jury. ' [more]

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