TITLE: Relating to penalties for the intimidation and harassment of election officials; creating criminal offenses.

SUMMARY: Relating to penalties for the intimidation and harassment of election officials; creating criminal offenses.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to penalties for the intimidation and harassment of election officials; creating criminal offenses. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Chapter 276, Election Code, is amended by adding Section 276.020 to read as follows: Sec. 276.020. INTIMIDATION AND HARASSMENT OF ELECTION OFFICIALS. (a) A person commits an offense if the person, on more than one occasion and pursuant to the same scheme or course of conduct that is directed specifically at an election official in the performance of statutory or other official duties related to the administration of an election, knowingly engages in conduct that: (1) constitutes an offense under Section 42.07, Penal Code, or that the actor knows or reasonably should know the election official will regard as threatening: (A) bodily injury or death for the election official; (B) bodily injury or death for a member of the election official's family or household or for an individual with whom the election official has a dating relationship; or (C) that an offense will be committed against the election official's property; (2) causes the election official to be placed in fear of bodily injury or death or in fear that an offense will be committed against the election official's property, or to feel harassed, annoyed, alarmed, abused, tormented, embarrassed, or offended; and (3) would cause a reasonable person to: (A) fear bodily injury or death for himself or herself; (B) fear bodily injury or death for a member of the person's family or household or for an individual with whom the person has a dating relationship; (C) fear that an offense will be committed against the person's property; or (D) feel harassed, annoyed, alarmed, abused, tormented, embarrassed, or offended. (b) A person commits an offense if the person uses or threatens to use physical force, coercion, violence, restraint, damage, harm, financial reprisal, or other loss against another with the intent to improperly influence an election official in the performance of a duty related to the administration of an election. (c) An offense under this section is a felony of the third degree. SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.