Iowa Senate panel push forward with felon voting restrictions

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa Senate committee has advanced a bill that would require convicted felons to pay restitution before they could get their voting rights restored. If passed this year, the bill advanced Wednesday would be effective only if a separate constitutional amendment that would automatically restore felon voting rights upon completion of a sentence also passes. It’s unclear if the restitution requirement would withstand a legal challenge, though. A federal appeals court on Wednesday ruled against a similar Florida requirement. Iowa is the only state with a broad revocation of voting rights for felons, requiring restoration of voting rights from the governor.