A bill sponsored by State Sen. Jon Ford (R-Terre Haute) that would make updates to Indiana's election laws passed the Senate with bipartisan support Monday, March 29.
House Bill 1365 encompasses suggestions from the Indiana Secretary of State's office and local election officials on small elections matters.
HB 1365 would require the entry of all filing information concerning each of the candidates into a statewide voter registration system and would also require universally recognized symbols of a candidate's legal name to be displayed.
In addition, this legislation would ensure deceased persons are removed from voting registration lists, as well as felons who are convicted of a crime in another state.
"These improvements to our election laws will help increase consistency and transparency within our elections," Ford said. "I greatly appreciate the help of former Secretary of State Connie Lawson and her team, as well as the tremendous support of my fellow legislators, in crafting this legislation to ensure the process behind Indiana's elections is one of integrity."
HB 1365 also clarifies rules for those working at polling places and updates the statutes that set the schedules for elections, among other changes.
HB 1365 will now return to the House for further consideration.
