FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
April 15, 2009
CONTACT:
Brandon Hensler, Director of Communications, (786) 363-2737 or media@aclufl.org
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The Florida Rights Restoration Coalition (FRRC) will co-sponsor a news conference TODAY, Wednesday April 15 at 12:45 p.m. to rally support for SB 910, a bill that would remove barriers to employment for persons with past felony convictions whose civil rights have not been restored. A stated priority of Governor Crist, the FRRC believes that this bill will enable ex-offenders to reintegrate into society with fewer problems.
The bill, crafted by Senators Wilson and King, would remove prohibitions on licensing and employment of ex-offenders, based on their civil rights status, leading to a better transition and lower rate of recidivism among people who are re-entering society and the workforce. The bill also contains provisions that protect public safety and shields potential employers from civil liability due to an allegation of negligent hiring by requiring the employer to review and consider the results of investigations of the applicant’s criminal background.
WHAT: NEWS CONFERENCE IN SUPPORT OF SB 910 on Voting Rights
WHEN: WEDNESDAY, 4/15 @ 12:45 p.m.
WHERE: 4th Floor Rotunda in front of the Senate Chambers
WHO: Senator James E. King
Senator Frederica Wilson
Courteney Strickland, ACLU of Florida
Monekka M. Cooper, FRRC Representative
Join us at the Senate Chambers tomorrow at 12:45 p.m. to learn more about the FRRC’s position on this timely and important bill.
About the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition
It is the mission of the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition ("FRRC") to have Florida join the 40 states in the nation that automatically restore the civil rights of all individuals with past felony convictions upon completion of non-monetary terms of their sentences.
# # #
