S. 1588: Democracy Restoration Act of 2017

115th Congress · introduced 2017-07-19 · Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2017-07-19 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Democracy Restoration Act of 2017

Plain summary

Democracy Restoration Act of 2017 This bill establishes that an individual's right to vote in a federal election may not be abridged due to a criminal conviction unless the individual is incarcerated for a felony sentence at the time of the election. The bill also (1) requires incarcerated individuals to be notified of the restoration of their voting rights upon release, and (2) prohibits states and local governments that do not comply with this bill from receiving federal funds for constructing or improving prisons.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Democracy Restoration Act of 2017

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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The strongest published arguments

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Alternatives

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD] · 21 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory A. Booker (D-NJ), Christopher A. Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Bernard Sanders (I-VT), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Kirsten E. Gillibrand (D-NY), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tina Smith (D-MN), Jack Reed (D-RI)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (1)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-115s1588.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/s>

Record fed-us-cong115-s1588 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115