TITLE: Relating to increasing the criminal penalty for election fraud.

SUMMARY: Relating to increasing the criminal penalty for election fraud.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to increasing the criminal penalty for election fraud. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 276.013(b), Election Code, is amended to read as follows: (b) An offense under this section is a state jail felony [Class A misdemeanor, unless: [(1) the person committed the offense while acting in the person's capacity as an elected official, in which case the offense is a state jail felony; or [(2) the person is convicted of an attempt, in which case the offense is a Class Bmisdemeanor].SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred before that date. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.