FELON VOTER RIGHTS RESTORATION A federal judge has granted a stay request from attorneys representing Governor DeSantis and the Secretary of State in the lawsuits filed by the ACLU and the NAACP regarding the payment of fees and fines for felons voting rights restoration. The stay was granted until the Florida Supreme Court can issue a decision as to the intent of Amendment 4. The hearing is scheduled for November 7th.
FELON VOTER RIGHTS PART B A recently released deposition by one of Florida’s top voter registration officials shows that there is no current guidance on the procedure for a felon to determine eligibility for voting rights restoration. No agency tracks the fines; the Secretary of State has not resolved which costs and fines need to be paid; nor has advice been given to felons on how to determine their status.
EDUCATION BONUS BIAS The State settled a federal case which alleged race bias in the implementation of a statewide teacher bonus program. Plaintiffs said the requirements to achieve the bonus were discriminatory. The State has agreed to settle the case for a $15.5 million payment.
PEANUTS IN DUGOUTS A federal judge has refused to grant a parent’s request for an injunction prohibiting the City of Palm Beach Gardens from selling peanuts at its baseball complex. The mother, whose son has a peanut allergy, alleged discrimination as the discarded shells prohibited the boy from participating in the baseball program.
BROWARD COUNTY SUPERVISOR The now resigned Broward County Supervisor of Elections, who was at the center of the 2016 election recount, won a recent court case. The case was brought against the Supervisor because she did not purge the voter roll of ineligible voters, such as convicted felons or the mentally incompetent. The U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the National Voter Registration Act only required her to purge deceased or change of address voters.