Welcome to

Conflicting views over when felons should have their rights restored are clashing at the State Capitol. In 2007 most former felons were given an automatic restoration of their civil rights. Many are still kept from working because the restoration does not include the right to be licensed. As Mike Vasilinda tells us, the ACLU was asking for more rights restoration today, while the Attorney General says no one should get their rights back automatically

Thursday was Rick Scott’s first Clemency meeting; He was in a generous mood. “I move to grant restoration of civil rights,” the Governor said. But two of the other three on the board must agree and they were not so generous. Saying no to two Scott requests.

Oscar Hernandez was pulled from his car in 1993, after he shot one of his attackers, he fled. That cost him five years in state prison. “I simply reacted to a matter when I was attacked,” he said.

Hernandez was before the State Clemency Board Thursday, asking for a pardon, not just his civil rights, so he could work as a cab driver. “If my civil rights would have been restored, I still would not have been able to get a cab license,” said Hernandez.

Thousands of people like Hernandez have done their time, but can’t be licenses plumbers, cabbies or a host of other professions. The ACLU and a host of Democrats want the restoration of civil rights to also mean eligibility for a license.

“Put all Floridians back to work. Put the least lost and the left behind, back to work,” said State Senator, Chris Smith of Broward County.

After a 2007 change that automatically restored the rights on non-violent felons, a hundred thousand people are still waiting for their rights. Now, if the Attorney General has her way, no rights will be given back automatically.

“I don’t believe that any felony should have an automatic restoration of rights. I believe you should have to ask,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi. The ACLU says Bondi just needs to be educated about the consequences of ending automatic restoration.