Florida Voting Law Is Biased Against Black Felons, Civil Rights Groups Say
- State says rights only restored after fees, restitution paid
- ACLU says requirement is like an illegal poll tax on voters
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A Florida law requiring ex-felons to pay all their court fees and victim restitution before they can vote is an illegal poll tax that disproportionately impacts black residents and defies the will of voters, civil rights groups said at the start a trial to overrule the legislation.
While Florida voters in 2018 approved an amendment to the state constitution that lifted a ban on voting for more than a million ex-felons, Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, last year signed into law a bill that imposed limits on the measure. The case could impact the 2020 presidential election because President Donald Trump won Florida by a margin of 1.2%.