S.B. No. 2877 amends the Texas Election Code to increase the penalties for election fraud. The bill redefines the offense of election fraud to include new actions such as counting invalid votes, altering reports to include or exclude valid votes, and discarding a voter's completed ballot without consent. Specifically, it adds provisions that classify these actions as criminal offenses, expanding the scope of what constitutes election fraud. The penalty for committing such offenses is elevated from a Class A misdemeanor to a felony of the second degree, with further escalations for elected officials or attempts to commit the offense.

Additionally, the bill repeals certain existing provisions of the Election Code, specifically Sections 276.013(c) and 276.014, which may have previously governed aspects of election fraud. The changes will only apply to offenses committed on or after the effective date of the Act, which is set for September 1, 2025. Offenses occurring before this date will be subject to the laws in effect at that time.

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