82R10393 JRH-F By: Pena H.B. No. 2589 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the delivery of a voter registration application to the registrar by a volunteer deputy registrar; providing a criminal penalty. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 13.043, Election Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 13.043. FAILURE TO CONDUCT APPOINTED DUTIES [DELIVER APPLICATION]. (a) A volunteer deputy registrar commits an offense if the deputy fails to cause the proper and timely delivery of a completed voter registration application as required by [comply with] Section 13.042. (a-1) A volunteer deputy registrar commits an offense if the volunteer deputy knowingly causes a voter registration application containing false information to be delivered to the registrar. (b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), an offense under Subsection (a) [this section] is a Class C misdemeanor. (c) An offense under Subsection (a) [this section] is a Class A misdemeanor if the deputy's failure to comply is intentional. (d) An offense under Subsection (a-1) is a state jail felony. 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 section, an offense was committed before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred before that date. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.