A Republican representative in Missouri introduced the "Donald J. Trump Election Qualification Act," a state bill inspired by the president-elect that would allow convicted felons to run for public office.
Rep. Michael Davis of Belton, a suburb outside Kansas City, pre-filed the bill on Dec. 3. Under current state law, convicted felons are allowed to vote and run for federal office after completing their sentence, but they are barred from running for local or state office.
"I believe that we should punish those who do wrong, but once they've completed the terms of their sentence, we should allow individuals to reintegrate into society," Davis told KSNW.
"They are citizens. They have the ability to work and pay taxes, and one of the aspects of being a citizen is being represented by your government and deciding who should represent you," he added.
In addition to benefiting convicts, Davis said he hopes the bill puts more power in the hands of voters by allowing them to decide who represents them.
Davis sponsored similar legislation in 2021 but failed to gain support from members of his party.
"This was before this election ... Democrats, I thought before, were all on board about restorative justice. It was members of my own party who were hesitant to do so," he shared.
