GOP-Priority Bills to Deter Election Fraud Advance in Texas Legislature

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Texas Scorecard by Erin Anderson March 19, 2021

“Every legal vote should count; every illegal vote should not count.”

A bill to increase the penalty for election fraud crimes from a misdemeanor to a felony—an election integrity reform goal set by grassroots GOP activists—received a hearing in the Texas House Elections Committee this week, moving the priority measure one step closer to becoming law.

Election integrity is a top legislative priority of the Texas GOP and the only one also declared an emergency item by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. Earlier this week, Abbott publicly endorsed “robust” election reform legislation.

Dozens of bills to improve election security and voter confidence have been introduced in the House and Senate, both controlled by Republicans.

House Bill 574, by State Rep. Greg Bonnen (R–Friendswood) and 13 Republican co-authors, was heard by the House Elections Committee on Thursday.

HB 574 would add two new election fraud offenses: intentionally counting invalid votes and failing to count valid votes.

“Election Code currently does not address situations where a person intentionally alters a report to misrepresent a vote count,” Bonnen told committee members.

The bill would also make election fraud a second-degree felony, the same criminal penalty as illegal voting by an individual.

“This brings consistency into our statute,” Bonnen said.

Only one witness, representing the League of Women Voters of Texas, testified against the bill, saying “imposing criminal penalties could have a chilling effect” on people participating in vote-counting.

“Are you telling me it’s the official position of the League of Women Voters that if a person intentionally miscounts votes, that shouldn’t be a crime?” State Rep. Mike Schofield (R–Katy) asked the witness, who deferred to her scripted testimony.

“If the argument is that it might chill a person who wants to knowingly miscount votes, you have a good bill, Mr. Bonnen,” Schofield said.

More: https://texasscorecard.com/state/gop-priority-bills-to-deter-election-fraud-advance-in-texas-legislature/