HR 1585: Right to register and vote; moral turpitude felony conviction exception; provisions - CA

Georgia's constitution currently says that people convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude (a legal term for crimes seen as especially dishonest or immoral) cannot register, stay registered, or vote until they complete their sentence. This resolution proposes removing that exception entirely from the constitution. If approved by two-thirds of each chamber of the General Assembly, the proposed change would go to Georgia voters on a statewide ballot for ratification or rejection. The remaining exception, barring people judicially determined to be mentally incompetent from voting unless that disability is removed, would stay in place. If voters approve the amendment, it becomes part of the Georgia Constitution.

• Deletes the constitutional provision barring people convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude from registering or voting until their sentence is complete.
• Leaves in place the separate exception barring people judicially determined mentally incompetent from voting unless that disability is removed.
• Sends the proposed constitutional change to Georgia voters for ratification or rejection on a statewide ballot.
• Specifies the exact ballot question voters would see, asking whether to remove the felony moral turpitude voting exception.

Georgians convicted of felonies involving moral turpitude who are currently barred from voting until their sentence is finished, county election officials who administer voter registration, and all Georgia voters, who would decide the amendment's fate at the ballot box.

If ratified, people convicted of felonies involving moral turpitude could register and vote without waiting to complete their sentence, changing who is eligible to participate in Georgia elections. The change would not take effect unless a majority of voters approve it in a statewide referendum.

• Section 1 amends Article II, Section I, Paragraph III of the Georgia Constitution by striking the felony moral turpitude voting exception while keeping the mental incompetency exception.
• Section 2 requires the proposed amendment to be published and submitted to voters under Article X, Section I, Paragraph II of the Constitution.
• Section 2 sets the exact ballot language voters will see, framed as a yes or no question on removing the felony exception.
• Section 2 specifies that if ratified by voters, the amendment becomes part of the Georgia Constitution.

1. 2026-03-09House Second Readers (House)
2. 2026-03-06House First Readers (House)
3. 2026-03-04House Hopper (House)

• El-Mahdi Holly (D, HD-116)Primary sponsor
• Eric Bell (D, HD-075)
• Solomon Adesanya (D, HD-043)
• Dewey McClain (D, HD-109)
• Bryce Berry (D, HD-056)
• Akbar Ali (D, HD-106)

• voting rights
• felony disenfranchisement
• constitutional amendment
• election rules