Explanation of Texas Bill H.B. No. 705

This bill is about protecting people who work at polling places during elections, like election judges and election clerks.

What the Bill Does:

• If someone files a lawsuit or legal action claiming that an election judge or clerk broke election laws while doing their official job, the district attorney has to defend that election worker in court.
• This means the district attorney will handle the legal defense for these election workers, instead of leaving them to defend themselves.
• This also applies to special court orders, like a writ of mandamus, which is a type of court order that can require someone to do their official duties.

When It Applies:

This protection only applies to lawsuits or legal actions filed on or after September 1, 2023.

Why This Matters:

Election judges and clerks make important decisions on Election Day and can face legal challenges. This bill helps make sure they have legal support from the district attorney while doing their official election work, so they are not personally left to fight those lawsuits.