87R4507 SGM-D
 
  By: Pacheco H.B. No. 1179
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to certain activities near a polling place; changing the
  elements of certain criminal offenses.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 61.003(a), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  A person commits an offense if, during the voting period
  and within 300 [100] feet of an outside door through which a voter
  may enter the building in which a polling place is located, the
  person:
               (1)  loiters; or
               (2)  electioneers for or against any candidate,
  measure, or political party.
         SECTION 2.  Section 61.010(a), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b), a person may not
  wear a badge, insignia, emblem, or other similar communicative
  device relating to a candidate, measure, or political party
  appearing on the ballot, or to the conduct of the election, in the
  polling place or within 300 [100] feet of any outside door through
  which a voter may enter the building in which the polling place is
  located.
         SECTION 3.  Sections 62.013(a) and (b), Election Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  An election officer commits an offense if the officer
  knowingly posts at a polling place, including the area within 300
  [100] feet of an outside door through which a voter may enter the
  building in which the polling place is located, a sign, card,
  poster, or other similar material that:
               (1)  is not authorized or required by law; or
               (2)  is in a form or contains information that is not
  authorized or required by law.
         (b)  A person other than an election officer commits an
  offense if the person posts a sign, card, poster, or other similar
  material at a polling place, including the 300-foot [100-foot] area
  described by Subsection (a).
         SECTION 4.  Section 85.036(a), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  During the time an early voting polling place is open
  for the conduct of early voting, a person may not electioneer for or
  against any candidate, measure, or political party in or within 300
  [100] feet of an outside door through which a voter may enter the
  building or structure in which the early voting polling place is
  located.
         SECTION 5.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
  an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. An
  offense committed before the effective date of this Act is governed
  by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, and the
  former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of
  this section, an offense was committed before the effective date of
  this Act if any element of the offense occurred before that date.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.