Bill would make carrying firearms near voting sites a misdemeanor

A person who intentionally carries a firearm in or within 100 feet of a covered place would commit a Class A misdemeanor. Covered places include a part of a building used as a polling place and a location where election officials conduct a canvass or recount. The rule would not apply to specified in-state, qualified out-of-state, or former law enforcement officers. It would not apply to a person on private property within the restricted area or to a private security worker carrying a firearm as part of the job on nearby property. At a polling place, the rule would begin one hour before it opens and end one hour after it closes. The bill states no time limit for canvasses or recounts.

A court would immediately suspend a juvenile’s driving privilege for two years after finding that the juvenile violated the proposed firearm rule. This applies to a juvenile found to have violated the proposed rule against carrying a firearm near a polling place, canvass, or recount. If otherwise eligible, the juvenile could qualify for an occupational license, which allows limited driving. The court would have to suspend the privilege immediately after the finding.