Bill > SB2363

This bill modifies the Texas Election Code's provisions regarding unlawfully publishing a voter's voting information by expanding and clarifying the existing law. The bill introduces new definitions for key terms like "effective consent" and "publish", including nuanced criteria for what constitutes valid consent, such as excluding consent induced by force, fraud, or given by someone unable to make reasonable decisions. Under the revised law, a person commits a third-degree felony if they intentionally publish how a voter has voted without the voter's effective consent. The bill also provides an affirmative defense for publishing voting information when required by state law. The changes to the law will apply only to offenses committed on or after the effective date of September 1, 2025, meaning prior offenses will be governed by the previous version of the law. The modifications aim to more precisely define and protect the privacy of an individual's voting choices while establishing clearer legal parameters for potential prosecutions related to unauthorized disclosure of voting information.

Government Affairs

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB2363