H.B. No. 5115 amends the Election Code to increase the penalties for election fraud. The bill redefines the offense of election fraud, expanding the list of actions that constitute such an offense. New provisions include knowingly counting invalid votes, altering reports to include invalid votes, and refusing to count valid votes. The penalty for committing election fraud is elevated from a Class A misdemeanor to a felony of the second degree, with harsher penalties for elected officials committing the offense while in office, which would be classified as a felony of the first degree. Additionally, the bill repeals certain existing provisions of the Election Code.

The changes made by this Act will only apply to offenses committed on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025, ensuring that any offenses occurring prior to this date will be governed by the previous law. This legislative update aims to strengthen the integrity of the electoral process by imposing stricter penalties for fraudulent activities related to voting.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Election Code 276.013 (Election Code 276)
House Committee Report: Election Code 276.013 (Election Code 276)
Engrossed: Election Code 276.013 (Election Code 276)
Senate Committee Report: Election Code 276.013 (Election Code 276)
Enrolled: Election Code 276.013 (Election Code 276)