AN ACT TO RESTORE THE RIGHT OF SUFFRAGE TO CHARITY PAYNE-WILLIAMS OF COAHOMA COUNTY, MISSISSIPPI.
Summary
House Bill 4116 is a private suffrage restoration bill that would restore the right to vote to Charity Payne-Williams of Coahoma County, Mississippi. The bill states that she was disqualified as an elector in 2003 in Tunica County after an embezzlement conviction, served a five-year sentence, and was released in 2008 after completing her sentence.
The measure declares that Payne-Williams has since lived as a law-abiding and honorable citizen and therefore should have her voting rights fully and completely restored. If enacted, the bill would apply only to this named individual and would take effect immediately upon passage.
Impact
HB4116 would amend Mississippi law only as applied to a single person by restoring suffrage rights that were lost due to a felony conviction. It does not create a general change to the state’s voting-rights restoration process or broader election law; instead, it functions as a special act removing this individual’s disqualification as an elector and allowing her to vote again.
Sentiment
The available record suggests the bill is straightforward and noncontroversial. There are no committee transcripts or recorded votes indicating opposition, and the bill passed the House as introduced. The language of the measure reflects a favorable legislative judgment that the individual has been rehabilitated and merits restoration of voting rights.
Contention
Because the bill is a private suffrage restoration measure, the main point of potential contention is the Legislature’s use of individualized relief rather than a general restoration process. In practice, such bills can raise questions about consistency, fairness, and whether voting rights should be restored through case-by-case legislation or broader statutory reform. No specific objections or opposing viewpoints are included in the available materials.