HR1585: HR1585 Right to register and vote; moral turpitude felony conviction exception; provisions - CA

Georgia's Constitution currently lists two situations where someone can be denied the right to register or vote: being convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude, and being judicially declared mentally incompetent. This resolution proposes changing that constitutional provision (Article II, Section I, Paragraph III) so that a felony moral turpitude conviction would no longer count as an exception to the right to vote, according to the resolution's stated purpose and the ballot question voters would see. Because this is a constitutional amendment rather than an ordinary bill, it cannot take effect on its own. The Georgia General Assembly is instead asking voters to decide. Section 2 spells out the exact ballot language, asking voters to vote yes or no on removing the felony moral turpitude exception, and states that if ratified, the change becomes part of the state Constitution.

• Proposes amending Article II, Section I, Paragraph III of the Georgia Constitution, the section listing exceptions to the right to register and vote.
• States the amendment's purpose as removing a felony moral turpitude conviction as a basis for denying someone the right to register, remain registered, or vote.
• Leaves in place the separate constitutional exception barring people judicially found to be mentally incompetent from voting unless that disability is removed.
• Sends the proposed amendment to Georgia voters for ratification or rejection, rather than changing the law directly through this resolution.
• Specifies the exact yes or no ballot question voters would see if the resolution passes the General Assembly and reaches the ballot.

Georgians who have been convicted of a felony involving moral turpitude and are otherwise eligible to vote, election officials who administer voter registration rules, and all Georgia voters, who would ultimately decide the amendment's fate at the ballot box.

If ratified by voters, this change would affect whether a felony moral turpitude conviction can be used to stop someone from registering or voting in Georgia, a rule that currently applies until a person completes their sentence. The mentally incompetent exception would remain unchanged.

• Section 1 revises Paragraph III of Article II, Section I of the Georgia Constitution, the paragraph governing exceptions to the right to register and vote.
• The resolution's title and preamble state its purpose as removing the felony moral turpitude conviction exception, though the quoted revised paragraph text still references that 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 ballot question wording asking whether the Constitution should be amended to remove the felony moral turpitude exception, with yes or no options.
• Section 2 states that if voters ratify the amendment as required by the Constitution, it 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