SB 83 Laid Over Till Wednesday --Contact Your Senator

WE NEED YOUR HELP NOW
SB 83 Is In Trouble!
HELP PAROLEES GET THE RIGHT TO VOTE

Contact your Senator TODAY! We have to mobilize quickly!
If your organization/church/group supports giving parolees the right to vote,
please contact CCJRC immediately so that we can add your
organization's name to our position paper. Your support is extremely important!

SB 83 is scheduled for a third reading in the Senate early this week,
and right now the parolee voting amendment is in danger.
The Senate Democrats have supported parolee voting but some are wavering.

If we lose more than two of the democrats, parolee voting will be stripped from the bill.
As you may know, right now people who are on parole are not allowed to vote.

SB 83 would allow them to. Both the Attorney General's office and the Secretary of State's office has declared their opposition and are trying to strip parolee voting from SB 83.

The Colorado constitution says that persons confined in prison may not vote,
but it leaves the voting rights of parolees as the discretion of the legislature,
granting that body the power to define "term of imprisonment."
Today our General Assembly has an opportunity to reverse the decision to disenfranchise parolees.

SB 83 brings more consistency to Colorado policy around voting
eligibility of people involved in the criminal justice system.

Currently, people on probation and people in jail serving a misdemeanor
sentence are allowed to vote. Since people on parole, like people on probation are
living in the community, working and paying taxes they should be allowed to vote as well.

Voting is one of the critical components to becoming a full member of society.
Allowing people on parole to vote is one way to create an opportunity
for civic participation and social connection to encourage a successful reintegration
for people leaving prison.

The Colorado Criminal Justice Reform Coalition is asking for your help
to show how important this issue is to our community,
the people who are part of it, and those who will be returning.

Contact pam@ccjrc.org if you would like to add your name to our position paper.

Please Contact Your Senator Today!!!

Go to www.votesmart.org to find out who your
Senator is and how to contact them or go to www.leg.state.co.us if you already know who your
Senator is.