House Judiciary Committee agrees to report H541 aimed at election-worker protections

The House Judiciary Committee voted to report H541 to the full House after approving a strike-all amendment, members said Thursday. The bill’s sponsors told the committee the updated draft is intended to “ensure that we've got protections and criminal statutes in place” to address potential interference with election officials and workers.

An unnamed co-sponsor said the committee had taken “really good testimony” and had reached a draft that accomplishes the bill’s goals. A committee member added, “So nobody should be threatened as part of their work,” and said the measure, if enacted, would protect municipal and state workers from inappropriate behaviors and help prevent interference in future elections.

During a brief procedural session the clerk called members for a voice vote; several members responded yes and one member (Christie) was recorded absent. Unidentified Speaker 1 said that Ian has agreed to report the bill to the floor.

Committee members and staff noted that the draft under consideration is labeled draft 2.1 and that municipal clerks and constitutional experts had provided testimony during prior hearings. The committee did not resolve substantive changes in this session beyond approving the strike-all amendment; members indicated further debate or final votes would occur on the House floor.

The committee also used the meeting to preview other items on its near-term agenda, including a scheduled vote on H5 and a possible vote tomorrow on H626, described by a member as a voyeurism bill with two outstanding issues to be addressed before voting.