DENVER (AP) – Colorado Republicans have defeated a proposal to stiffen penalties for people who lie about elections to suppress the vote.

A GOP-led House committee voted Tuesday against making the crime a felony. Republicans pointed out that lying about en election to suppress voting is already illegal.

Democratic sponsors argued unsuccessfully that lawmakers should send a message by making penalties tougher.

Republicans said the crime of lying to suppress voting is very rare and that the measure would have required burdensome new reports from local prosecutors.

LINK: Senate Bill 147

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)