The General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5533 aims to enhance the protection of election administration processes, election sites, election workers, and electors, with provisions set to take effect on July 1, 2026. Key measures include prohibiting law enforcement and federal agents from being within 250 feet of election sites unless they possess a judicial warrant or are requested by election officials. The bill also bans individuals from wearing masks that obscure their identity in this vicinity and states that no person shall be required to present identification within 250 feet of an election site. Violations of these provisions would result in a class C felony charge and disfranchisement. Additionally, the bill makes it a class D felony for a first offense and a class B felony for subsequent offenses to possess firearms or deadly weapons near election sites, while expanding the definition of "election worker" to include assistant municipal clerks.

Moreover, the bill introduces stricter penalties for election-related offenses, classifying tampering with voting tabulators or ballots as a class A misdemeanor for first offenses and a class C felony for subsequent offenses. It creates a civil cause of action for election workers against individuals who violate election laws and classifies various forms of ballot tampering as class D felonies. Municipal officials are required to notify the Attorney General and the Secretary of the State within thirty-six hours of receiving subpoenas or requests related to election records, and the Attorney General is granted authority to seek injunctive relief to prevent election interference. Overall, Raised Bill No. 5533 seeks to bolster the integrity of the electoral process and impose stricter penalties for violations, with significant updates to existing legal language in Section 9-364a.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 9-364a, 9-352