Legislation

Opposition from the state Board of Elections and the creation by the Secretary of State of a commission to review voting issues kept a comprehensive election reform bill drafted by the ACLU from moving forward.

On the more positive side, no action was taken on legislation requiring individuals to provide certain forms of identification in order to vote at the polling booth.

In a major victory for civil rights, the General Assembly approved sending to the voters in November 2006 a proposed constitutional amendment to restore the right to vote to felons upon release from incarceration.

ACLU intervention helped kill a bill that would have authorized the Town of Westerly to allow non-resident property owners to vote in certain town elections and serve on the Town’s finance board.

Showing that it’s never too late to do the right thing, the General Assembly enacted legislation redrawing Senate district lines around the metropolitan Providence area.