| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to unlawful solicitation and distribution of a voter |
|
|
registration application; creating a criminal offense. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Chapter 276, Election Code, is amended by adding |
|
|
Section 276.0175 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 276.0175. UNLAWFUL SOLICITATION AND DISTRIBUTION OF |
|
|
VOTER REGISTRATION APPLICATION. (a) A public official or election |
|
|
official commits an offense if the official, while acting in an |
|
|
official capacity, knowingly: |
|
|
(1) solicits the submission of a voter registration |
|
|
application from a person who did not request an application; |
|
|
(2) distributes a voter registration application to a |
|
|
person who did not request the application, except as the |
|
|
distribution is authorized by Chapter 13, Chapter 20, or another |
|
|
provision of this code; |
|
|
(3) authorizes or approves the expenditure of public |
|
|
funds to facilitate third-party distribution of a voter |
|
|
registration application to a person who did not request the |
|
|
application; or |
|
|
(4) completes any portion of a voter registration |
|
|
application and distributes the application to an applicant. |
|
|
(b) Subsection (a)(2) does not apply if the public official |
|
|
or election official engaged in the conduct described by that |
|
|
subdivision by providing access to a voter registration application |
|
|
from a publicly accessible Internet website. |
|
|
(c) Subsection (a) does not apply if a public official or |
|
|
election official: |
|
|
(1) provides general information about applying to |
|
|
register to vote, the voter registration process, or the timeliness |
|
|
of applying to register to vote to a person or the public; or |
|
|
(2) engages in conduct described by Subsection (a) |
|
|
while acting in the official's capacity as a candidate for public |
|
|
elective office. |
|
|
(d) An offense under this section is a state jail felony. |
|
|
(e) A remedy provided under this section is cumulative, and |
|
|
does not restrict any other remedies provided by this code or by |
|
|
law. A violation of this section is subject to injunctive relief or |
|
|
mandamus as provided by this code. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |