85R3177 GRM-D
 
  By: Watson S.B. No. 283
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the offense of unlawfully prohibiting an employee from
  voting.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Sections 276.004(a) and (b), Election Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  A person commits an offense if, with respect to another
  person over whom the person has authority in the scope of
  employment, the person knowingly:
               (1)  refuses to permit the other person to be absent
  from work on election day or while early voting is in progress for
  the purpose of attending the polls to vote; or
               (2)  subjects or threatens to subject the other person
  to a penalty for attending the polls on election day or while early
  voting is in progress to vote.
         (b)  It is an exception to the application of this section
  that the person's conduct occurs in connection with an election in
  which the polls are open on election day or while early voting is in
  progress for voting for two consecutive hours outside of the
  voter's working hours.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.