Texas Governor Signs Bill to Make Electoral Fraud Second-Degree Felony

Contact Your Elected Officials
The Epoch Times

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill into law last week that makes intentionally altering ballots or election reports a second-degree felony, which is punishable by up to 20 years in jail.

The bill, HB 574 (pdf), specifies that โ€œknowingly or intentionallyโ€ counting invalid votes or refusing to count valid votes, or altering the report to include invalid votes or exclude valid votes, is a second-degree felony offense. The Act goes into effect on Sept. 1.

According to the Texas Penal Code, the punishment for a second-degree felony is jail time no more than 20 years or less than two years, with an optional fine of up to $10,000.

Previously, it was a Class A misdemeanor to intentionally make a vote cast under false pretenses or provide misleading statements or representation on election-related documents, which is punishable by up to one year in jail with an optional fine of up to $4,000.

Abbott didnโ€™t make any comments about signing the law, but said last month that election integrity legislation is one of the current sessionsโ€™ โ€œmust-pass emergency items.โ€

Supporters of the bill said it would protect the integrity of elections and give prosecutors more tools to enforce the law.

Opponents argued that the bill could create a chilling effect among individuals seeking to be election workers by โ€œthreatening serious criminal penalties over genuine disagreements on the validity of evaluated ballots,โ€ according to the state House research organization report (pdf).

The Republican-led legislature has passed a series of election-related bills and delivered them to Abbottโ€™s desk for signature.

One of them, HB 2283 (pdf), which was delivered to Abbott on May 31, prohibits county election officials from accepting a donation over $1,000 or using the donation to administer elections.

The bill was introduced in response to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerbergโ€™s roughly $400 million donations for elections to counties nationwide, the Center Square reported.

BY LI HAI

Read Full Article on TheEpochTimes.com

HB 574: AN ACT relating to the creation of criminal offenses involving elections.

hb0574

The Thinking Conservative
The Thinking Conservativehttps://www.thethinkingconservative.com/
The goal of THE THINKING CONSERVATIVE is to help us educate ourselves on conservative topics of importance to our freedom and our pursuit of happiness. We do this by sharing conservative opinions on all kinds of subjects, from all types of people, and all kinds of media, in a way that will challenge our perceptions and help us to make educated choices.

AI: A Double-Edged Sword?

AI produces innovation, revolutionizing industries from education to entertainment, yet AI tools also cause a gradual decline in human cognitive skills.

Why is the Epstein Victim List Longer than the Client List?

Bondi said her responsibility is to protect identities of underage girls sexually abused by Epstein, but a good number of victims have come forward.

Stirring the gravy

โ€œYou might be a Pennsylvanian-Italian if you claim Italian ancestry and participated in San Marziale festivities at Holy Angels Church in Kulpmont, PA.

Flood of Lies

The tragedy still unfolding after the historic Texas floods should be cause for unity, but Democrats weaponize the catastrophe for themselves.

Now Lawyers Are Looking for the Epstein List, Too!

So it turns out that when FBI Director Kash...

A Year After Trump Rally Shooting, Town Still Seeks Healing, Answers

A western PA community has rallied around the family of Corey Comperatore who was fatally shot when a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally.

5 States Discussing Plans to Build Prisons Like โ€˜Alligator Alcatrazโ€™: Noem

Homeland Security Sec Kristi Noem said five Republican-led states were discussing plans to build detention sites similar to Floridaโ€™s โ€œAlligator Alcatraz.โ€

Wyoming Opens Dual Mine: Coal for Power, Rare Earths for Everything Else

Brook Mine will be the first new coal mine to open in Wyoming in 50 years and first critical mineral and rare earth mine to open in the US in 70 years.

Los Angeles Mayor Signs Order Reaffirming Sanctuary City Policy, Proposes Cash Aid to Illegal Immigrants

LA Mayor Karen Bass has issued an executive directive reaffirming the cityโ€™s self-proclaimed sanctuary status in response to ongoing ICE operations.

EU Wonโ€™t Retaliate to Trumpโ€™s 30 Percent Tariff, Countermeasures on Hold Until August

EC President Ursula von der Leyen said EU will extend suspension on countermeasures to U.S. tariffs until next month while trade negotiations continue.

Trump Announces 30 Percent Tariff on EU, Mexico

President Donald Trump has announced a 30 percent tariff on imports from the European Union and Mexico, to go into effect on Aug. 1, 2025.

Tariff Windfall Drives Surprise $27 Billion US Budget Surplus in June

New data from Treasury Dept show that surging tariff revenues in June helped U.S. government post an unexpected budget surplus of $27 billion.

State Department Says Reorganization Plan to Move Ahead Quickly After Supreme Court Ruling

State Dept to reorganize plans following Supreme Court's allowing Trump admin to proceed with layoffs of fed workers and overhaul of federal agencies.
spot_img

Related Articles