89R2258 TSS-D     By: Guillen H.B. No. 242       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the creation of the criminal offense of obtaining   personally identifiable voter information.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Chapter 276, Election Code, is amended by adding   Section 276.0051 to read as follows:          Sec. 276.0051.  OBTAINING PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE VOTER   INFORMATION. (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b) or (c), a   person commits an offense if the person obtains or attempts to   obtain any personally identifiable information that connects a   voter to the voter's individual ballot selections in violation of   the voter's right to a secret ballot protected under Section 4,   Article VI, Texas Constitution.           (b)  It is an exception to prosecution under this section   that:                (1)  the person obtaining or attempting to obtain the   personally identifiable information is an election official   responsible for handling, storing, or making voter information   publicly available in compliance with other law; and                (2)  the obtention or attempt occurred during the   lawful discharge of the person's official duty.           (c)  It is an exception to prosecution under this section   that the person obtains or attempts to obtain personally   identifiable information that connects a voter to the voter's   individual ballot selections only under the order or authority of a   court or tribunal during an election contest or legal proceeding   related to an election contest.          (d)  An offense under this section is a felony of the third   degree.           (e)  Notwithstanding Section 3.03(a), Penal Code, a court   may order the sentences of confinement to which a person is   sentenced to run consecutively as described by Article 42.08, Code   of Criminal Procedure, if a person is convicted under this section   and is also found guilty of one or more additional offenses arising   out of:                (1)  the same criminal episode; and                (2)  the person's use of the information obtained in   violation of this section.          SECTION 2.  The changes in law made by this Act apply 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 on the date 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 was committed before that   date.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.