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REFERENCE TITLE: prisoners; civics peer education program |
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State of Arizona Senate Fifty-fourth Legislature Second Regular Session 2020
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SB 1514 |
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Introduced by Senator Quezada: Representative Andrade
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AN ACT
amending title 31, chapter 2, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 31‑232; relating to prisoners.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 31, chapter 2, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 31-232, to read:
31-232. Civics peer education program; requirements; reporting; definitions
A. Pursuant to rules adopted by the director, the Department shall provide a nonpartisan civics peer education program to teach civics to soon-to-be released prisoners who will be reentering society. The goal of the program is to promote the successful integration of reentering prisoners, promote democracy and reduce rates of recidivism within this State. The program shall ensure that reentering prisoners understand their civic responsibility and know how to secure or regain the right to vote.
B. The civics peer education program must have a rigorous curriculum that includes instruction on voting rights, governmental institutions and current affairs and simulations of voter registration, elections and democratic processes. The program must consist of three ninety-minute workshop sessions that do not need to be taken consecutively. The department must offer the program to reentering prisoners, and each reentering prisoner must enroll in the program one to twelve months before the prisoner's expected release date. The department must include the program in the standard exit process for prisoners and may include the program in conjunction with other prerelease procedures and movements. Delays in providing a workshop may not cause delays in a prisoner's discharge. Prisoners may not be prevented from attending a workshop because of staffing shortages, lockdowns or conflicts with family or legal visits, court dates, medical appointments, commissary visits, recreational sessions, dining, work, class or bathing schedules. If a conflict or staffing shortage occurs, reentering prisoners must be given full opportunity to attend a workshop at a later time.
C. The civics peer education program must be taught by peer educators who are specifically trained by experienced peer educators and established nonpartisan civic organizations. Established nonpartisan civic organizations may be assisted by area political science or civics educators at colleges, universities and high schools and by nonpartisan organizations providing reentry services. The nonpartisan civic organizations shall provide adequate training to peer educators on voting rights, governmental institutions, current affairs and simulations of voter registration, elections and democratic processes and shall provide periodic updates to program content and to peer educators.
D. The civics peer education Program content shall:
1. Provide the following:
(a) nonpartisan information on voting history procedures.
(b) nonpartisan definitions of local, State and federal governmental institutions and offices.
(c) examples and simulations of registration and voting processes.
2. Be updated periodically by Established nonpartisan civic organizations and, if applicable, peer educators. Updates must reflect major relevant changes to election laws and processes in this state.
3. Be delivered to prisoners verbally by peer educators, by broadcasts via Department internal television channels and in printed information packets.
4. Include peer educators who provide printed information for voting in the released prisoner's county, including election authorities' addresses, all applicable Internet websites and public contact information for all election authorities. This information shall be compiled into a civics handbook. The handbook must also include key information condensed into a pocket information card.
5. Be compiled electronically and posted on the Department's website.
E. The director shall ensure that the wardens or superintendents of all correctional facilities visibly post the information about the civics peer education Program on all common areas of their respective facilities and shall broadcast the information via in-house institutional information television channels. The Director shall ensure that updated information is distributed in a timely, visible and accessible manner.
f. The director shall ensure that each parole and community supervision office in this State posts in a clearly visible area a notice that stipulates voter eligibility and that contains the current Internet website address and voter registration information provided by the secretary of State regarding voting rights for citizens who are released from the custody of the Department.
G. The director shall post on the department's website an annual report that contains data on the civics peer education program, including the number of reentering prisoners who enrolled in the program, the number of reentering prisoners who completed the program and the total number of discharged prisoners. the data shall be disaggregated by correction facility, discharge or the prisoner's residence address and other factors.
H. For the purposes of this section:
1. "Peer educator" means a prisoner who is specifically trained in voting rights education.
2. "Reentering prisoner" means any United States citizen who is at least seventeen years of age, who is in the physical custody of the Department and who is scheduled to be released within twelve months.
Sec. 2. Effective date
This act is effective from and after December 31, 2020.