Des Moines, Iowa — (RI) — An Iowa senate committee has failed to take a vote on one of Governor Kim Reynolds’ top legislative priorities, permanently sidelining the plan for this year.
A little more than a week ago, the Iowa House voted 95-to-2 in favor of a proposed constitutional amendment that would automatically restore felon voting rights once an inmate is paroled. Senator Brad Zaun is the Republican who is chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and he says there weren’t enough Republican votes on his committee to pass it.
The conditions Zaun envisions adding are things like requiring a felon to repay restitution to victims, and forever banning felons who’ve been convicted of murder, rape or child abuse from voting. Governor Reynolds issued a written statement, saying she was disappointed in this setback. Reynolds said she “will not give up the fight for Iowans who deserve a second chance.” Zaun says as a long-time lawmaker, he’s seen other governors have their priorities fail to advance in the legislature. Plus Zaun says it takes four years, at minimum, to get a constitutional amendment passed through the legislature and put on the ballot for voters to decide.
The Democratic Leader in the senate called the situation “shameful” and pledged that Democrats will work with any willing Republican who wants to advance the governor’s priority. Senator Janet Petersen of Des Moines also called on the governor to issue a temporary executive order that would restore felon voting rights until a permanent policy can be enacted through the constitutional amendment.
