Virginia Senate Bill 364
Session 2024
Elections; protection of election officials, penalty.
Became Law
Became Law on Apr 17, 2024
Origin Chamber
Senate
Type
Bill
Bill Number
364
State
Virginia
Session
2024
Adam P. Ebbin
grade
Primary
Motion Text
Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (40-Y 0-N)
Senate Roll Call Votes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Summary
Elections; protection of electors and election officials; penalties. Adds to the list of protected voters any current or former elector for President and Vice President of the United States and any current or former election official or employee of an election official. Protected voters are permitted by law to provide on the application for voter registration, in addition to the voter's residence street address, a post office box address located within the Commonwealth, which would be the address included on (i) lists of registered voters and persons who voted, (ii) voter registration records made available for public inspection, and (iii) lists of absentee voter applicants. The bill also makes it a Class 5 felony to, by bribery, intimidation, threats, coercion, or other means in violation of election laws, willfully and intentionally, hinder or prevent an election official or employee of an election official from administering elections. Under current law, it is only a Class 5 felony to hinder or prevent an officer of election at a location being used for voting from holding an election. The bill also makes it a Class 5 felony to commit such acts against an elector for President and Vice President of the United States. The bill also makes it a Class 6 felony for any person who, by threats to kill or do bodily injury, willfully and intentionally intimidates, coerces, or harasses another because of his current or former status as an elector, election official, or employee of an election official. The bill creates a civil action for any person who was a victim of any conduct that constitutes a felony or a misdemeanor and establishes that such conduct was directed at him because of his status as an elector, election official, employee of an election official, election worker, or election volunteer.
Elections; protection of election officials; penalty. Adds current or former status as an election official or employee of an election official to the categories of victims whose intentional selection for a hate crime involving assault, assault and battery, or trespass for the purpose of damaging another's property results in a higher criminal penalty for the offense. The bill also adds current or former status as an election official or employee of an election official to the categories of hate crimes that are to be reported to the central repository of information regarding hate crimes maintained by the Virginia State Police. The bill provides that a person who is subjected to acts of intimidation or harassment, violence directed against his person, or vandalism to his real or personal property, where such acts are motivated by current or former status as an election official or employee of an election official, may bring a civil action to recover his damages. The bill also provides that no provider or user of an interactive computer service on the Internet shall be liable for any action voluntarily taken by it in good faith to restrict access to material that the provider or user considers to be intended to incite hatred on the basis of current or former status as an election official or employee of an election official. The bill also adds to the list of protected voters any election official or employee of an election official. Protected voters are permitted by law to provide on the application for voter registration, in addition to the voter's residence street address, a post office box address located within the Commonwealth, which would be the address included on (i) lists of registered voters and persons who voted, (ii) voter registration records made available for public inspection, and (iii) lists of absentee voter applicants. The bill also makes it a Class 5 felony to hinder or prevent an election official or employee of an election official from administering elections. Under current law, it is only a Class 5 felony to hinder or prevent an officer of election at a location being used for voting from holding an election.
Elections; protection of electors and election officials; penalties. Adds to the list of protected voters any current or former elector for President and Vice President of the United States and any person who is or has been a member of the State Board of Elections, the Commissioner of Elections, an employee of the Department of Elections, a member of a local electoral board, a general registrar, a deputy registrar, an employee in the office of the general registrar, or an officer of election. Protected voters are permitted by law to provide on the application for voter registration, in addition to the voter's residence street address, a post office box address located within the Commonwealth, which would be the address included on (i) lists of registered voters and persons who voted, (ii) voter registration records made available for public inspection, and (iii) lists of absentee voter applicants. The bill makes it a Class 5 felony to, by bribery, intimidation, threats, coercion, or other means in violation of election laws, willfully and intentionally hinder or prevent an election official or employee of an election official from administering elections. Under current law, it is only a Class 5 felony to hinder or prevent an officer of election at a location being used for voting from holding an election. The bill also makes it a Class 5 felony to commit such acts against an elector for President and Vice President of the United States. The bill creates a civil action for any election official, employee of an election official, or elector who is intimidated, threatened, or coerced by another person who thereby willfully and intentionally hinders or prevents, or attempts to hinder or prevent, such official, employee, or elector from fulfilling his duty.
Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/24 24104854D
January 9, 2024
Committee substitute printed 24107084D-S1
February 5, 2024
Committee substitute printed 24108263D-H1
March 1, 2024
SB364ER
March 25, 2024
SB364ER2
April 17, 2024
Amendment: SB364AG
Fiscal Impact Statement: SB364F160.PDF
Fiscal Impact Statement: SB364F122.PDF
Fiscal Impact Statement: SB364FS1160.PDF
Fiscal Impact Statement: SB364FS1122.PDF
Fiscal Impact Statement: SB364FH1122.PDF
Fiscal Impact Statement: SB364FER122.PDF
Sort by most recent
04/17/2024
Office of the Governor
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0787)
04/17/2024
House
Enacted, Chapter 787 (effective 7/1/24)
04/17/2024
House
Signed by Speaker as reenrolled
04/17/2024
Senate
Signed by President as reenrolled
04/17/2024
Senate
Reenrolled bill text (SB364ER2)
04/17/2024
Senate
Reenrolled
04/17/2024
Office of the Governor
Governor's recommendation adopted
04/17/2024
House
VOTE: Adoption (52-Y 47-N)
04/17/2024
House
House concurred in Governor's recommendation (52-Y 47-N)
04/17/2024
Senate
Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (40-Y 0-N)
04/08/2024
Senate
Governor's recommendation received by Senate
03/31/2024
Senate
Impact statement from DPB (SB364ER)
03/27/2024
Office of the Governor
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 8, 2024
03/27/2024
Senate
Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 27, 2024
03/26/2024
House
Signed by Speaker
03/25/2024
Senate
Signed by President
03/25/2024
Senate
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB364ER)
03/25/2024
Senate
Enrolled
03/07/2024
Senate
Title replaced 24108263D-H1
03/07/2024
Senate
House substitute agreed to by Senate (20-Y 19-N)
03/06/2024
House
VOTE: Passage (52-Y 47-N)
03/06/2024
House
Passed House with substitute (52-Y 47-N)
03/06/2024
House
Engrossed by House - committee substitute SB364H1
03/06/2024
House
Committee substitute agreed to 24108263D-H1
03/06/2024
House
Read third time
03/05/2024
House
Read second time
03/05/2024
Senate
Impact statement from DPB (SB364H1)
03/01/2024
House
Committee substitute printed 24108263D-H1
03/01/2024
House
Reported from Privileges and Elections with substitute (14-Y 7-N)
02/29/2024
House
House committee, floor amendments and substitutes offered
02/19/2024
House
Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (6-Y 2-N)
02/19/2024
House
House subcommittee amendments and substitutes offered
02/18/2024
House
Assigned P & E sub: Election Administration
02/16/2024
House
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
02/16/2024
House
Read first time
02/16/2024
House
Placed on Calendar
02/13/2024
Senate
Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 19-N)
02/12/2024
Senate
Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute SB364S1
02/12/2024
Senate
Committee substitute agreed to 24107084D-S1
02/12/2024
Senate
Reading of substitute waived
02/12/2024
Senate
Read second time
02/09/2024
Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N)
02/08/2024
Senate
Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)
02/07/2024
Senate
Impact statement from DPB (SB364S1)
02/06/2024
Senate
Impact statement from VCSC (SB364S1)
02/05/2024
Senate
Rereferred to Finance and Appropriations
02/05/2024
Senate
Committee substitute printed 24107084D-S1
02/05/2024
Senate
Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (7-Y 6-N 2-A)
02/05/2024
Senate
Senate committee, floor amendments and substitutes offered
01/25/2024
Senate
Impact statement from DPB (SB364)
01/16/2024
Senate
Rereferred to Courts of Justice
01/16/2024
Senate
Rereferred from Privileges and Elections (14-Y 0-N)
01/11/2024
Senate
Impact statement from VCSC (SB364)
01/09/2024
Senate
Referred to Committee on Privileges and Elections
01/09/2024
Senate
Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/24 24104854D
Sources
Open States
Record Created
Jan 10, 2024 5:13:11 PM
Record Updated
May 2, 2024 12:22:10 AM