H.B. No. 1661 amends the Texas Election Code to enhance the management of election supplies and establish new criminal offenses related to election conduct. The bill mandates that election authorities provide a number of ballots for each precinct that equals at least the percentage of voters from the most recent corresponding election plus an additional 25%. However, the total number of ballots cannot exceed the number of registered voters in the precinct unless the county is part of a countywide polling place program. Additionally, the bill introduces penalties for election authorities who intentionally fail to provide the required number of ballots or do not promptly supplement ballots upon request, classifying these offenses as Class A misdemeanors.

The bill also revises the classification of certain election-related offenses, increasing penalties from Class C misdemeanors to Class A misdemeanors for specific violations, and elevating another offense to a state jail felony. These changes will only apply to offenses committed on or after the effective date of the Act, which is set for September 1, 2025. The legislation aims to ensure better preparedness for elections and accountability for election officials.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Election Code 51.005, Election Code 51.008, Election Code 51.010, Election Code 51.011, Election Code 61.007 (Election Code 61, Election Code 51)
House Committee Report: Election Code 51.005, Election Code 51.008, Election Code 51.010, Election Code 51.011, Election Code 61.007 (Election Code 61, Election Code 51)
Engrossed: Election Code 51.005, Election Code 51.008, Election Code 51.010, Election Code 51.011, Election Code 61.007 (Election Code 61, Election Code 51)