SR 429: Senate Addressing Felony Disenfranchisement in Georgia's Constitution Study Committee; create

Georgia's Constitution currently denies the right to vote to people convicted of felonies, even after they have been released from incarceration and are living in the community while completing probation or parole. This resolution creates the Senate Addressing Felony Disenfranchisement in Georgia's Constitution Study Committee to look into that rule and consider possible changes. The committee will have six senators appointed by the President of the Senate, who will also name a chairperson. It is directed to examine the legal basis for the current disenfranchisement clause, review how it affects people who are working and paying taxes while still under supervision, and consider reforms that would let people regain voting rights once they finish the custodial part of their sentence. The committee can recommend legislation or constitutional amendments. It must file any approved report before it is abolished on December 1, 2025.

• Creates a six-member Senate study committee to examine Georgia's constitutional felony disenfranchisement clause.
• Directs the committee to review how current disenfranchisement laws affect people released from incarceration who are still working and paying taxes under supervision.
• Tasks the committee with studying reforms to restore voting rights to people who finished custodial time but remain on probation or parole.
• Authorizes committee members to receive standard legislative allowances for up to five meeting days, funded through Senate appropriations.
• Requires the committee to file any approved findings or recommended legislation with the Secretary of the Senate before it is abolished.
• Sets an abolishment date of December 1, 2025 for the committee.

People convicted of felonies who have completed incarceration but remain on probation or parole in Georgia, the six senators appointed to the study committee, the Senate as an institution funding the effort, and potentially future voters and election officials if reforms are eventually proposed.

The committee itself changes nothing about who can vote right now. But its work could lead to proposed legislation or a constitutional amendment affecting how long people convicted of felonies are barred from voting after leaving prison, an issue that touches Georgia's large population under community supervision.

• Paragraph 1 creates the Senate Addressing Felony Disenfranchisement in Georgia's Constitution Study Committee.
• Paragraph 2 sets committee membership at six senators appointed by the President of the Senate, who also names the chairperson.
• Paragraph 3 lists study topics, including the legal basis for the disenfranchisement clause and possible reforms to restore voting rights before a sentence is fully completed.
• Paragraph 5 ties member allowances to O.C.G.A. § 28-1-8 and caps paid days at five unless more are authorized, funded from Senate appropriations.
• Paragraph 6 requires any approved report or recommended legislation to be filed with the Secretary of the Senate before abolishment.
• Paragraph 7 abolishes the committee on December 1, 2025.

1. 2025-04-02Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
2. 2025-03-28Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
3. 2025-03-28Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)
4. 2025-03-21Senate Read and Referred (Senate)
5. 2025-03-20Senate Hopper (Senate)

• Max Burns (R, SD-23)Primary sponsor
• Josh McLaurin (D, SD-14)
• Harold Jones II (D, SD-22)
• Chuck Payne (R, SD-54)
• Sonya Halpern (D, SD-39)

1. PassedSenate voteApril 2, 2025

   52 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 1 excused)

   CONSENT CALENDAR FOR SENATE STUDY COMMITTEES: Senate Vote #380

• felony disenfranchisement
• voting rights
• criminal justice reform
• Georgia Constitution
• probation and parole