Texas lawmakers inched closer to reinstating felony-level punishment for residents who vote illegally, but a key provision separates the two legislative chambers. The House on Thursday gave preliminary approval to House Bill 1243, sponsored by state Rep. Cole Hefner, R-Mt. Pleasant, with a 83-63 vote. The bill reverses a change state lawmakers made in 2021 when they downgraded illegal voting to a misdemeanor as part of a sweeping overhaul to the state’s election laws.