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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the criminal offense of unlawfully prohibiting an |
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employee from voting. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 276.004(a) and (b), Election Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A person commits an offense if, with respect to another |
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person over whom the person has authority in the scope of |
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employment, the person knowingly: |
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(1) refuses to permit the other person to be absent |
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from work on election day or while early voting is in progress for |
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the purpose of attending the polls to vote; or |
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(2) subjects or threatens to subject the other person |
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to a penalty for attending the polls on election day or while early |
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voting is in progress to vote. |
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(b) It is an exception to the application of this section |
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that the person's conduct occurs in connection with an election in |
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which the polls are open on election day or while early voting is in |
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progress for voting for two consecutive hours outside of the |
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voter's working hours. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |