Committee hears bill to narrow election-official impersonation statute after court rulings

Senate Bill 258, which would amend an election-crime statute described in testimony as “20 five-two thousand 438,” was the subject of a hearing before the Senate Committee on Federal and State Affairs. The bill would remove a statutory element that criminalized engaging in conduct that “gives the appearance of being an election official” and would add a specific-intent requirement so a person must act with the intent to cause another to believe they are an election official; proponents said the bill preserves the existing criminal penalty.

The bill matters because supporters said it addresses language the courts found overbroad and therefore unenforceable. Jason (committee staff member) told the committee that the statute at issue was first enacted in 2021 and that “the second and third elements there in the statute have actually been enjoined by the court and are not currently enforceable.” He described SB 258 as striking the “appearance”…