AB 1344: Voting rights: inmates and persons formerly incarcerated.

Existing law provides that a person is entitled to register to vote if he or she is a United States citizen, a resident of California, not imprisoned or on parole for the conviction of a felony, and at least 18 years of age at the time of the next election.

Existing law requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and county probation departments to either establish and maintain on its Internet Web site a hyperlink to the Internet Web site at which the Secretary of States voting rights guide for incarcerated persons may be found or post a notice that contains that Internet Web site address.

This bill would instead require the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and county probation departments to both establish and maintain on its Internet Web site a hyperlink to the Internet Web site at which information provided by the Secretary of State regarding voting rights for persons with a criminal history may be found and to post a notice that contains that Internet Web site address. The bill would also require the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and county probation departments to provide certain voting rights information to persons under their jurisdiction upon the request of such a person. By imposing new duties on county probation departments, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.