88R22613 LRM-F
 
  By: DeAyala H.B. No. 5053
 
  Substitute the following for H.B. No. 5053:
 
  By:  Swanson C.S.H.B. No. 5053
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the venue for the prosecution of an election offense.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 13, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended by adding Article 13.41 to read as follows:
         Art. 13.41.  ELECTION OFFENSES. (a) An offense classified
  as a felony under the Election Code, or a felony offense otherwise
  related to an election conducted in this state, may be prosecuted in
  a judicial district adjoining the judicial district in which the
  offense occurred.
         (b)  An offense classified as a misdemeanor under the
  Election Code, or a misdemeanor offense otherwise related to an
  election conducted in this state, may be prosecuted in a county
  adjoining the county in which the offense occurred. 
         SECTION 2.  Section 273.024, Election Code, is repealed.
         SECTION 3.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
  a violation of law that occurs on or after the effective date of
  this Act. A violation that occurs before the effective date of this
  Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the violation
  occurred, and the former law is continued in effect for that
  purpose. For purposes of this section, a violation of law occurred
  before the effective date of this Act if any element of the
  violation occurred before that date.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.