Bill Text: TX HB579 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to the criminal offense of unlawfully prohibiting an employee from voting.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-02-20 - Referred to Elections [HB579 Detail]

Download: Texas-2019-HB579-Introduced.html

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86R4732 GRM-D
By: Vo H.B. No. 579

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the criminal offense of unlawfully prohibiting an
employee from voting.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Sections 276.004(a) and (b), Election Code, are
amended to read as follows:
(a) A person commits an offense if, with respect to another
person over whom the person has authority in the scope of
employment, the person knowingly:
(1) refuses to permit the other person to be absent
from work on election day or while early voting is in progress for
the purpose of attending the polls to vote; or
(2) subjects or threatens to subject the other person
to a penalty for attending the polls on election day or while early
voting is in progress to vote.
(b) It is an exception to the application of this section
that the person's conduct occurs in connection with an election in
which the polls are open on election day or while early voting is in
progress for voting for two consecutive hours outside of the
voter's working hours.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.