BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 4422

By: Dunnam

Criminal Jurisprudence

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

During the 2008 election cycle, one Texas house race was decided by fewer than 20 votes. These close victories create the need for the legislature to enact safeguards to ensure voter integrity.

H.B. 4422 expands the conditions that constitute the third-degree felony offense involving the fraudulent use or possession of identifying information to include obtaining, possessing, transferring, or using one or more items of identifying information to obtain a voter registration certificate or to cast a vote.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 4422 amends the Penal Code to expand the conditions that constitute the third-degree felony offense involving the fraudulent use or possession of identifying information to include obtaining, possessing, transferring, or using one or more items of identifying information to obtain a voter registration certificate or to cast a vote. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the act does not receive the necessary vote, the act takes effect September 1, 2009.