S.B. No. 2363 amends the Election Code in Texas to address the criminal offense of unlawfully publishing a vote. The bill redefines the term "publish" to include various forms of communication, such as oral, written, or electronic means. It establishes that a person commits an offense if they intentionally and knowingly publish how a voter has voted without the effective consent of that voter. The bill also introduces a definition for "effective consent," outlining circumstances under which consent is not valid, such as when it is induced by force or given by someone not legally authorized to act for the voter.

Additionally, the bill clarifies that it is an affirmative defense to prosecution if the publication of the voter's voting information was done in accordance with a state law requiring such publication. The changes made by this Act will only apply to offenses committed on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025, while offenses committed prior to this date will be governed by the law in effect at that time.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Election Code 61.006 (Election Code 61)
Senate Committee Report: Election Code 61.006 (Election Code 61)