Bill > HB1477

This bill makes two key modifications to the Texas Election Code. First, it increases the criminal penalty for a specific election-related offense from a Class B misdemeanor to a Class A misdemeanor, which typically carries more severe potential penalties. Second, the bill expands the options for handling situations where precinct election records are not delivered by the required deadline. Under the new law, the secretary of state will have the authority to directly supervise the completion of vote counting, preparation of precinct returns, and distribution of records. Additionally, if the records are impounded, a district judge will continue to supervise the process of completing the count, preparing returns, and distributing records. The bill specifies that these changes will only apply to offenses committed on or after its effective date, which is September 1, 2025. The modifications aim to provide more robust mechanisms for ensuring the proper handling and timely submission of election records.

Government Affairs

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB1477