### Hon. Joe **Remmber**



### County Attorney **Hard6 county**  **HOU6tOn, T6X&6** 

**Dear Mr.**  **Re6WehMl** 

# ATIY)RNEY GENERAL OF%'EXAS

February 19, 1971

**Opinion No.**  **M-795 t**  

### Ror Whether l 

### poreon who **ha6** 

### been **convicted ot**  a felony but whoae aentenoa has been probated.may k.$laued a 

### votq,regis,ft;Stion **certitioak.** 

### ._. In your recent 0 

### &ion requert ddresred&:;)lii **. office**  

### you **ark** 

### the~toPlowing **questions**



### Whether a person whohu ben convicte4 **of ’**  

### a **felony** 

### but.which aentenoe.has been~ be **issued a**  

### voter regi8t~@tio&aertif P

### robah& auy c&e.-, Article VI, Section 1, Conrtikon of Texa$, pioVi*des 

### in part as follows:

"The following claeses of person8 Shall not be allowed **to** vote 

### in this state, to **wit:**

l . . . "Fourth: All 

### person8 convictei3 ot any telony, abject to auah **en#ptione** 

### ar the Legirl8ture may make.”

. This constitutional provision wu 

### implemented**by.**the tigfalature 

### in Article 5.01 

### of the tkction Code **of** the State **of** Texas, **which** provide8 in pertinent partr



### “The following classes of **persona** shall not be allowed to vote in this .&ate8 "
. . .

- 5861.**Hon. Joe**  **Re6weber, page**  **2** (M-795)



### “**4.** All 

### persons convicted of **any** felony except **those** 

### restored to **full** citizenship and right **of suffrage**  

### or pardoned.” Article 

### 42.12 **of** the Code **of** Criminal Procedure of Texas deals with probation in felony ca6e6 **and** provides~ authority for **the** 6USPending **of** sentence6 and 

### the plaoing Ce*ilih 

### an probakon of defendants convicted 

### of felonie~s **uhdek prescribed**  

### circumstances. Section 7 of Article II.12 orovides: 

### “Sec. **1. ht**  

### any time, after the 

### defendant **has** sati6factorily oompleted 

### one third **of** 

### the original probationary period or two years of probation;whiohever is the lesser, the **period.** 

### of probation maybe **reduced** 

### or terminated b the **court.** 

### Uponthe saCirtac$ory tultillment‘o Lb@ **conditions of**  

### probafion, and the expiration **or** 

### the **period or**  

### probation, the court, by order duly entered, 

### sball'akumd 

### ormodity the origiirkl sentence **imbpos8d, IS,** **’**

### necessary, **to** 

### conform **to :**  the probation 

### p&rid and shall discharg6 the.‘ defendant. **In** case the defendant has been convicted or **68 entered**  

### a’plea of guilky **or a**  

### plea **of** nolo contendere, and the **court** 

### has discharged the defendant hereunder, euch **court** may set 

### aside Me verdiot 

### or permit 

### the defetidant to withdraw 

### his lea, **and** shall ‘dismiss +he ' accusation, P



### campaint, 

### information or indictment 

### agarn6t such defendant, who shall there-after he released from all penalltie6 and di6abflitieS -- resulting **from** the gEos: or crime of which he **KXFEiFen** convioted aicn ns-nas pxeaaeo

### guilty,.except that proof **of** 

### his maid **conviction Crta**  of guilty shall be 

### madeknown to the **court 6hould**  **the** detendant again br **convicted** of **any** criminal offenee." l* I

~

It seems clear that the court rn which the conviction was had mu6t affirmatively take thelaction contemplated by Section 7 before **a** defendant ie . . . released **from** all disabilitiee reeulting **from** the **offense**

**. .**  **. of**  **which** he ha6 been convicted.. . .* (Empha6i6 ours) This includes the release L to vote. n the disability of **not being**  permitted

See Attorney General 6 Opinion No6. M-640 (1970) and V-278 (1947).Hon. 

### Joe Resweber,Page 3 (M-795)

c 

### Accordingly,until the trial court **sets** 

### asidethe

verdict **or** 

### permitsthe withdrawal **at** 

### thepleaofguilty and dismisses **the** 

### *acousation, 

### complaint, information**or** 

### indictment",**tbs** 

### detendant**cumot vote**  

### in Texas 

### and a **votes** 

### registrationoertitioate should not 

### be issued to **him.** 

### It isgenerallyheld in other statesthat a **oon** 

### viction **of** 

### a felony is **6uch** a 

### "disabilitygas.would bring 

### about adi6qualiticationto vote. 149A.L.R. 1075,and cited authorities.
SUMMARY

**A**

### voter regi6tration certificateshouldnot be issuedto one convicted of a 

### felonyand placed **on** 

### probationuntil **the** 

### court inwhich **the con**  

### victionwas had has set aside the 

### complaint, information**or** 

### indictment as authorizedby 57 **ot ’**  

### Article 42.12, Codc.6t Criminal Procedure of Texas. /I

**Prepared** 

### by Lonny **F.** 

### Zwiener AssistantAttorneyGeneral APPROVED: OPINION COMMITTEE Kerns Ta lor,Chairman W. t. Al en,Co-Chairman

! Roger Tyler Pat Bailey Bob 

### Lattimore James Quick 

### MRADE **F.** 

### GRIFFIN Statf Legal **AsSiStcUlt**
ALFRED WALKER **Executive A66i6tant**  

### NOIA WHITE Fir6t Aeairtant 

# I I’’

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