Bill Text: TX HB3510 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to penalties for the intimidation and harassment of election officials; creating criminal offenses.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-16 - Referred to Elections [HB3510 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-HB3510-Introduced.html

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88R2831 SGM-D
By: González of Dallas H.B. No. 3510

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to penalties for the intimidation and harassment of
election officials; creating criminal offenses.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 276, Election Code, is amended by adding
Section 276.020 to read as follows:
Sec. 276.020. INTIMIDATION AND HARASSMENT OF ELECTION
OFFICIALS. (a) A person commits an offense if the person, on more
than one occasion and pursuant to the same scheme or course of
conduct that is directed specifically at an election official in
the performance of statutory or other official duties related to
the administration of an election, knowingly engages in conduct
that:
(1) constitutes an offense under Section 42.07, Penal
Code, or that the actor knows or reasonably should know the election
official will regard as threatening:
(A) bodily injury or death for the election
official;
(B) bodily injury or death for a member of the
election official's family or household or for an individual with
whom the election official has a dating relationship; or
(C) that an offense will be committed against the
election official's property;
(2) causes the election official to be placed in fear
of bodily injury or death or in fear that an offense will be
committed against the election official's property, or to feel
harassed, annoyed, alarmed, abused, tormented, embarrassed, or
offended; and
(3) would cause a reasonable person to:
(A) fear bodily injury or death for himself or
herself;
(B) fear bodily injury or death for a member of
the person's family or household or for an individual with whom the
person has a dating relationship;
(C) fear that an offense will be committed
against the person's property; or
(D) feel harassed, annoyed, alarmed, abused,
tormented, embarrassed, or offended.
(b) A person commits an offense if the person uses or
threatens to use physical force, coercion, violence, restraint,
damage, harm, financial reprisal, or other loss against another
with the intent to improperly influence an election official in the
performance of a duty related to the administration of an election.
(c) An offense under this section is a felony of the third
degree.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.