Felony-Disenfranchisement

Tennessee Enacts Felony Camping Law to Suppress Black Lives Matter Protests and Strip Voting Rights

| Importance: 7/10

Governor Bill Lee signed legislation on August 21, 2020 that escalated penalties for camping on Tennessee state property from a misdemeanor to a Class E felony punishable by up to six years in prison and permanent disenfranchisement—a transparent effort to suppress Black Lives Matter protests that …

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Florida Legislature Enacts "Poll Tax" Requiring Payment of Fines to Undermine Amendment 4

| Importance: 9/10

Governor Ron DeSantis signs Senate Bill 7066 into law, requiring people with felony convictions to pay all fines, fees, court costs, and restitution before regaining voting rights—directly undermining the intent of Amendment 4, which Florida voters approved with 65% support just seven months …

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Felon Disenfranchisement Expansion: States Tighten Voting Bans as Prison Population Explodes

| Importance: 7/10

Throughout the 1990s, as the prison population exploded due to War on Drugs policies and “tough on crime” legislation, states expanded and entrenched felon disenfranchisement laws, creating a new form of mass voter exclusion that disproportionately impacted Black and Latino communities. …

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