BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

 

H.B. 1086

By: Goldman

Elections

Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Concerns have been raised that the current measures for protecting the integrity of primary elections in Texas are not equivalent to those in place for protecting the integrity of general elections. Interested parties recommend setting uniform penalties for certain unlawful participation in both such elections to better safeguard the electoral system. H.B. 1086 seeks to address these concerns by increasing the penalty for a person who votes in a primary election or participates in a convention of a party after having already voted in a primary election or participated in a convention of another party during the same voting year.

 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill expressly does one or more of the following: creates a criminal offense, increases the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or changes the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.         

 

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. 1086 amends the Election Code to increase from a Class C misdemeanor to a second degree felony the penalty for a person who knowingly votes or participates in a political party convention after having voted in a primary election or participated in a convention of another party during the same voting year. The bill increases the penalty for attempting to vote or participate in a party convention under those circumstances from a Class C misdemeanor to a state jail felony.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

September 1, 2017.