SRC-CDH S.B. 1085 75(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1085
By: Patterson
Criminal Justice
3-17-97
As Filed


DIGEST 

Currently, voter fraud is punished as a Class B misdemeanor in the Texas
Election Code.  This legislation will increase that penalty to a third
degree felony for the offenses of making a false statement on a voter
registration form, unlawful assistance to a voter, unlawful witness of an
early voting ballot, and for providing false information on an early
voting application form, in an effort to deter voter fraud through
stiffened punishments.   

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 1085 establishes punishments for certain criminal
offenses under the Election Code.   

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 13.007(b), Election Code, to provide that an
offense under this section, regarding making a false statement on a voter
registration application, is a third degree felony, rather than a Class B
misdemeanor. 

SECTION 2. Amends Section 64.036(d), Election Code, to provide that an
offense under this section, regarding unlawful assistance to a voter, is a
third degree felony, rather than a Class B misdemeanor.   

SECTION 3. Amends Section 84.004(e), Election Code, to provide that an
offense under this section, regarding unlawfully witnessing early voting
ballot applications, is a third degree felony, rather than a Class B
misdemeanor.   

SECTION 4. Amends Section 84.0041(b), Election Code, to provide that an
offense under this section, regarding providing false information on an
early voting ballot application, is a third degree felony, rather than a
Class B misdemeanor. 

SECTION 5. Makes application of this Act prospective.  

SECTION 6. Effective date:  September 1, 1997.

SECTION 7. Emergency clause.