DES MOINES, Iowa -- Iowa's Governor has signed a bill restoring felon voting rights.
"This bill ensures the rights of victims are protected by clarifying that victim restitution must be repaid before an Iowan's voting rights are restored. We must never forget about victims, and that's why I think this bill is a sensible compromise" says Gov. Kim Reynolds.
The bill, passed Wednesday by the Iowa House, had been approved by Senate before lawmakers paused the session in March due to the COVID-19 coronaviurus.
It the restores voting rights only after felons serve their sentences and pay restitution to victims.
Reynolds says she now awaits Senate action on a proposed constitutional amendment that would give Iowans the final say on the matter. That amendment passed the House last year.
If the Senate approves the amendment this year, it must be passed again in another legislative session before going to voters. The soonest Iowans could see the ballot measure is 2022.
Iowa is the only state not to automatically restore voting rights to felons when the complete their sentence.