Hyde-Smith offers amendment addressing felons voting

The Senate Committee on Rules and Administration Tuesday approved an amendment offered by U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) to allow states to prohibit those convicted of felony crimes against children from voting. 

Hyde-Smith offered the amendment as part of the Senate Rules and Administration Committee markup of S.1, the Democrat legislation to impose a federal takeover of elections.

“All crime is bad, but crimes against children are the absolute worst,” Hyde-Smith said.  “Felons convicted of crimes against children should face serious consequences for what they do.  One of those consequences that states should be able to impose is for them to lose the right to vote.” 

This Hyde-Smith amendment would specifically exempt states from being forced to permit persons who have been convicted of felony crimes against children to vote.  The underlying bill would have required all states to give the right to vote in federal elections to felons who have been released from prison.

DeSoto County News Services