Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issued this statement today following the Texas Senate’s passage of Senate Bill 2, which restores the act of illegal voting to a felony:
“Maintaining the integrity of Texas’ elections has been a top priority of mine since I was elected to the Texas Senate and throughout my tenure as Lt. Governor. For years, I have been explicit in saying that I want to make it easier for Texans to vote and harder to cheat. Voters demand secure elections.”
“Citizens must have trust in the outcome of every election in our state. People who wish to subvert our elections must know that committing voter fraud comes with a steep penalty; a misdemeanor is simply too weak. Senate Bill 2 deters these bad actors and will give Texans peace of mind that election security is dramatically improved.
“I salute Sen. Hughes and the Texas Senate Republicans who have worked diligently to upgrade illegal voting back to a felony, which was Texas law for almost 50 years until the House reduced it to a misdemeanor last session.”