*SB0170.1*
January 31, 2024
SENATE BILL No. 170
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DIGEST OF SB 170 (Updated January 30, 2024 10:48 am - DI 106)
Citations Affected: IC 3-5; IC 3-14.
Synopsis: Crimes and election workers. Defines "election worker" and
makes it a Level 6 felony to take certain actions: (1) for the purpose of
influencing an election worker; (2) to obstruct or interfere with an
election worker; or (3) that injure an election worker.
Effective: Upon passage.
Walker G, Glick, Bohacek
January 8, 2024, read first time and referred to Committee on Elections.
January 23, 2024, reassigned to Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law pursuant to
Rule 68(b).
January 30, 2024, amended, reported favorably — Do Pass.
SB 170—LS 6597/DI 149 January 31, 2024
Second Regular Session of the 123rd General Assembly (2024)
PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana
Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type,
additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type.
Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional
provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type. Also, the
word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds
a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution.
Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts
between statutes enacted by the 2023 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
SENATE BILL No. 170
A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning
elections.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:
1 SECTION 1. IC 3-5-2-19.8 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE
2 AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
3 UPON PASSAGE]: Sec. 19.8. "Election worker" means an
4 individual who:
5 (1) serves as:
6 (A) the secretary of state;
7 (B) an employee of the election division;
8 (C) a member of the commission;
9 (D) a precinct election officer, including an individual who
10 serves as a precinct election officer at a vote center using
11 a different title under IC 3-6-6-5.5;
12 (E) a member of a county election board;
13 (F) a member of a county board of elections and
14 registration;
15 (G) a member of a board of registration established under
16 IC 3-7-12;
17 (H) a circuit court clerk;
SB 170—LS 6597/DI 149 2
1 (I) an employee of the office of a circuit court clerk;
2 (J) a member of a town election board;
3 (K) an individual who serves under IC 3-6-6-39;
4 (L) a challenger or pollbook holder under IC 3-6-7;
5 (M) a watcher under IC 3-6-8, IC 3-6-9, or IC 3-6-10; or
6 (N) an individual appointed under IC 3-11.5-4:
7 (i) to an absentee voter board;
8 (ii) as an absentee ballot counter; or
9 (iii) as a courier; or
10 (2) either:
11 (A) works in exchange for compensation; or
12 (B) volunteers;
13 at a precinct or vote center under the supervision of one (1) or
14 more of the individuals listed in subdivision (1)(A) through
15 (1)(N).
16 SECTION 2. IC 3-14-3-4, AS AMENDED BY P.L.158-2013,
17 SECTION 31, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
18 UPON PASSAGE]: Sec. 4. (a) A person who, with the intent to
19 obstruct or interfere with an election worker or a voter in the
20 chute:
21 (1) knowingly or intentionally obstructs or interferes with an
22 election officer worker in the discharge of the officer's election
23 worker's duty; or
24 (2) knowingly or intentionally obstructs or interferes with a voter
25 within the chute;
26 commits a Level 6 felony.
27 (b) A person who knowingly or intentionally injures an election
28 officer worker or a voter:
29 (1) in the exercise of the officer's election worker's or voter's
30 rights or duties; or
31 (2) because the officer election worker or voter has exercised the
32 officer's election worker's or voter's rights or duties;
33 commits a Level 6 felony.
34 (c) A person called as a witness to testify against another for a
35 violation of this section is a competent witness to prove the offense
36 even though the person may have been a party to the violation. The
37 person shall be compelled to testify as other witnesses. However, the
38 person's evidence may not be used against the person in a prosecution
39 growing out of matters about which the person testifies, and the person
40 is not liable to indictment or information for the offense.
41 SECTION 3. IC 3-14-3-18, AS AMENDED BY P.L.158-2013,
42 SECTION 42, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE
SB 170—LS 6597/DI 149 3
1 UPON PASSAGE]: Sec. 18. (a) As used in this section, "candidate"
2 includes an individual whom the person knows is considering
3 becoming a candidate.
4 (b) A person who, for the purpose of influencing a voter, an election
5 worker, or a candidate, does any of the following commits a Level 6
6 felony:
7 (1) Seeks to enforce the payment of a debt by force or threat of
8 force.
9 (2) Ejects or threatens to eject the voter, election worker, or
10 candidate from a house the voter, election worker, or candidate
11 occupies.
12 (3) Begins a criminal prosecution.
13 (4) Damages the business or trade of the voter, election worker,
14 or candidate.
15 (5) Communicates a threat to commit a forcible felony (as defined
16 in IC 35-31.5-2-138) against a voter, an election worker, or a
17 candidate with the intent that the voter, election worker, or
18 candidate:
19 (A) engage in conduct against the voter's, election worker's,
20 or candidate's will; or
21 (B) be placed in fear of retaliation for a prior lawful act as a
22 voter, an election worker, or a candidate.
23 SECTION 4. An emergency is declared for this act.
SB 170—LS 6597/DI 149 4
REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT
PRO TEMPORE
Madam President: Pursuant to Senate Rule 68(b), I hereby report
that Senate Bill 170, currently assigned to the Committee on Elections,
be reassigned to the Committee on Corrections and Criminal Law.
BRAY
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COMMITTEE REPORT
Madam President: The Senate Committee on Corrections and
Criminal Law, to which was referred Senate Bill No. 170, has had the
same under consideration and begs leave to report the same back to the
Senate with the recommendation that said bill be AMENDED as
follows:
Page 2, delete lines 16 through 42.
Delete page 3.
Page 4, delete lines 1 through 2.
Page 4, line 5, delete "who:" and insert "who, with the intent to
obstruct or interfere with an election worker or a voter in the
chute:".
Page 4, line 6, after "knowingly" insert "or intentionally".
Page 4, line 9, after "knowingly" insert "or intentionally".
Page 4, line 12, after "knowingly" insert "or intentionally".
Renumber all SECTIONS consecutively.
and when so amended that said bill do pass.
(Reference is to SB 170 as introduced.)
FREEMAN, Chairperson
Committee Vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0.
SB 170—LS 6597/DI 149