By: Dunnam H.B. No. 4422
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the punishment for the fraudulent use or possession of
identifying information related to voter registration or voter
impersonation.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 32.51(c), Penal Code, is amended to read
as follows:
(c) An offense under this section is:
(1) a state jail felony if the number of items
obtained, possessed, transferred, or used is less than five;
(2) a felony of the third degree if the number of items
obtained, possessed, transferred, or used is five or more but less
than 10 or if one or more items is obtained, possessed, transferred,
or used by a person to obtain a voter registration certificate or
used by a person to cast a vote;
(3) a felony of the second degree if the number of
items obtained, possessed, transferred, or used is 10 or more but
less than 50; or
(4) a felony of the first degree if the number of items
obtained, possessed, transferred, or used is 50 or more.
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.
An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is
governed by the law in effect when the offense was committed, and
the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For
purposes of this subsection, an offense was committed before the
effective date of this Act if any element of the offense was
committed before that date.
SECTION 3. 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, 2009.