HB 1327 — An Act amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, in penalties, further providing for the offense of bribery at elections and providing for the offense of payment for registration.

PRINTER'S NO.   1519

                     THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                         HOUSE BILL
                         No. 1327
                                               Session of
                                                 2025

     INTRODUCED BY DAVIDSON, KHAN, SCHLOSSBERG, VENKAT, PIELLI,
        HANBIDGE, MERSKI, PROBST, MALAGARI, CERRATO, DONAHUE,
        FREEMAN, SANCHEZ, SIEGEL, MAYES, OTTEN, BOROWSKI, HADDOCK,
        WARREN, RIVERA, K.HARRIS, D. WILLIAMS, BOYD AND CEPEDA-
        FREYTIZ, APRIL 28, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, APRIL 28, 2025


                                    AN ACT
 1   Amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1333, No.320), entitled
 2      "An act concerning elections, including general, municipal,
 3      special and primary elections, the nomination of candidates,
 4      primary and election expenses and election contests; creating
 5      and defining membership of county boards of elections;
 6      imposing duties upon the Secretary of the Commonwealth,
 7      courts, county boards of elections, county commissioners;
 8      imposing penalties for violation of the act, and codifying,
 9      revising and consolidating the laws relating thereto; and
10      repealing certain acts and parts of acts relating to
11      elections," in penalties, further providing for the offense
12      of bribery at elections and providing for the offense of
13      payment for registration.
14      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
15   hereby enacts as follows:
16      Section 1.    Section 1839 of the act of June 3, 1937
17   (P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code, is
18   amended to read:
19      Section 1839.    Bribery at Elections.--Any person who shall,
20   directly or indirectly, give or promise or offer to give any
21   gift or reward in money, goods or other valuable thing to any
22   person, with intent to induce him to vote or refrain from voting
 1   [for any particular candidate or candidates or for or against
 2   any constitutional amendment or other question] at any primary
 3   or election; or who shall, directly or indirectly, procure for
 4   or offer or promise to procure for such person any such gift or
 5   reward with the intent aforesaid; or, who with the intent to
 6   influence or intimidate such person to give his vote or to
 7   refrain from giving his vote for any particular candidate or
 8   candidates or for or against any constitutional amendment or
 9   other question at any primary or election, shall give to or
10   obtain for or assist in obtaining for or offer or promise to
11   give to or obtain for or assist in obtaining for such person any
12   office, place, appointment or employment, public or private, or
13   threaten such person with dismissal or discharge from any
14   office, place, appointment or employment, public or private,
15   then held by him, shall be guilty of a felony of the third
16   degree, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be sentenced to pay
17   a fine not exceeding fifteen thousand ($15,000) dollars, or to
18   undergo an imprisonment of not more than seven (7) years, or
19   both, in the discretion of the court. For the purpose of this
20   section, the term "other valuable thing" includes a chance to
21   win a lottery or similar prize-drawing contest.
22      Section 2.   The act is amended by adding a section to read:
23      Section 1839.1.   Payment for Registration.--A person who
24   directly or indirectly gives or promises or offers to give a
25   gift or reward in money, goods or other valuable thing to
26   another person, with the intent to induce the other person to
27   register to vote, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the first
28   degree, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be sentenced to pay
29   a fine of not less than ten thousand ($10,000) dollars, or to
30   undergo imprisonment of not more than five (5) years, or both,

20250HB1327PN1519                  - 2 -
1   in the discretion of the court. For the purpose of this section,
2   the term "other valuable thing" includes a chance to win a
3   lottery or similar prize-drawing contest.
4      Section 3.   This act shall take effect in 60 days.




20250HB1327PN1519                 - 3 -