Bill Text: TX HB1255 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to increasing the criminal penalty for certain offenses committed by a professional who is required to report child abuse or neglect and against a child under the care of that professional.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-11-12 - Filed [HB1255 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-HB1255-Introduced.html
| 89R1312 MZM-D | ||
| By: Toth | H.B. No. 1255 | |
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| relating to increasing the criminal penalty for certain offenses | ||
| committed by a professional who is required to report child abuse or | ||
| neglect and against a child under the care of that professional. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 12, Penal Code, is amended | ||
| by adding Section 12.503 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 12.503. PROFESSIONALS REQUIRED TO REPORT CHILD ABUSE | ||
| OR NEGLECT: PENALTY FOR CERTAIN OFFENSES COMMITTED AGAINST CHILDREN | ||
| UNDER THEIR CARE. (a) Subject to Subsection (c), the punishment for | ||
| an offense described by Subsection (b) is increased to the | ||
| punishment prescribed for the next higher category of offense if it | ||
| is shown on the trial of the offense that the offense was committed: | ||
| (1) by a professional, as defined by Section 261.101, | ||
| Family Code; and | ||
| (2) against a child who, at the time of the offense, | ||
| was under the professional's care, custody, or control. | ||
| (b) The increase in punishment authorized by this section | ||
| applies only to an offense under: | ||
| (1) Section 15.031; | ||
| (2) Section 15.032; | ||
| (3) Section 20A.02; | ||
| (4) Section 20A.03; | ||
| (5) Section 21.02; | ||
| (6) Section 21.11; | ||
| (7) Section 22.011; | ||
| (8) Section 22.012; or | ||
| (9) Section 22.021. | ||
| (c) If an offense listed under Subsection (b) is punishable | ||
| as a Class A misdemeanor, the minimum term of confinement for the | ||
| offense is increased to 180 days. If an offense listed under | ||
| Subsection (b) is punishable as a felony of the first degree, the | ||
| punishment for that offense may not be increased under this | ||
| section. | ||
| SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only | ||
| to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. | ||
| An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is | ||
| governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, | ||
| and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For | ||
| purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the | ||
| effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred | ||
| before that date. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. | ||
