Bill > SB508

This bill makes two key changes to the Texas Election Code. First, it increases the criminal penalty for certain election-related offenses from a Class B misdemeanor to a Class A misdemeanor, which typically carries more significant potential fines and longer potential jail time. Second, the bill modifies the procedures for handling undelivered precinct election records by giving the secretary of state additional authority to supervise the completion of election counts and record preparation if precinct records are not delivered by the required deadline. Previously, the law only allowed a district judge to impound such records and supervise their processing. The bill specifies that these changes will only apply to offenses committed on or after its effective date, which is September 1, 2025. These modifications appear intended to enhance election record management and accountability by providing more robust mechanisms for addressing potential delays or issues in election record handling.

Government Affairs

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB508