Two potentially transformative election reforms approved by the Indiana Senate likely will not become law this year after failing to pass the House by Monday’s deadline for acting on Senate measures. Neither Senate Bill 250, authorizing “no excuse” absentee voting, nor Senate Bill 326, establishing standards for legislative redistricting, received formal consideration by the House Elections and Apportionment Committee. They therefore could not advance for a vote by the full House on whether to send them to the governor. It’s possible, though improbable, that the Senate still could force a House vote through the conference committee process.
The House elections committee chairman, state Rep. Milo Smith, R-Columbus, said each proposal had problems that prompted him to postpone further action.
On “no excuse” absentee voting, sponsored by state Sen. Frank Mrvan, D-Hammond, Smith said the measure is not needed because no county clerk ever checks whether one of the 13 excuses a voter is required to provide to vote absentee by mail is legitimate.
Full Article: Indiana election reforms approved by Senate die in House | Government and Politics | nwitimes.com.