Tennessee Eases Voting Rights for Felons

0:00On April 3, Tennessee just passed a new law, making it easier for folks with felony convictions to get their boating rights back by dropping too big. Financial roadblocks. Now, people don't have to pay off every penny of child support or all court costs anymore. Instead, they just need to show they followed child support orders for the past year, like sticking to a payment plan. Republican lawmakers who control the legislature, back this Democrat-led bill, and Governor Bill Lee signed it into law last week, so it's already. In effect, this change comes after years of fights and courts and at the State House over Tennessee's tough boating restoration rules. Back in 2006, they added that full child support payment requirement, and things got even messier with recent court rulings tying in gun, rights and extra paperwork. Lawmakers untangled voting from guns last year, but advocates kept pushing until this win on the money hurdles. Books on all sides are calling it a game changer. Voting rights groups say it's the biggest rollback of restrictions in decades, helping

1:02poor parents who were hit hardest by those old debt stacking, up to thousands of dollars. Most Republicans voted yes. Though a few split, with leaders like the House Speaker arguing, it still makes people keep paying what they owe. Democrats cheered it as a step-to-let expelence, fully rejoined society. The bill zoomed through the Senate last year, and the House this year after advocates narrowed other asks, skipping bigger ideas like automatic, restoration. It's part of a national trend where states are tweaking felony voting rules. Summer store rights right after prison, others after probation, but places. My Florida added back fees despite voter approval. With barriers like these falling, more voices could shape elections ahead, marking real progress in a system that's evolved over two decades. World News, powered by AI. This is Global News Today, I'm Corey with The Story.