Bill Text: TX HB1668 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to increasing the criminal penalty for the offense of enticing a child and to the applicability of sex offender registration requirements to that offense.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-12-18 - Filed [HB1668 Detail]

Download: Texas-2025-HB1668-Introduced.html

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89R5321 JCG-F
By: Gerdes H.B. No. 1668

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to increasing the criminal penalty for the offense of
enticing a child and to the applicability of sex offender
registration requirements to that offense.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 25.04, Penal Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c) to read as
follows:
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), an [An] offense
under this section is a [Class B misdemeanor, unless it is shown on
the trial of the offense that the actor intended to commit a felony
against the child, in which event an offense under this section is
a] felony of the third degree.
(c) An offense under this section is a felony of the second
degree if it is shown on the trial of the offense that the actor
intended to violate or abuse the child sexually.
SECTION 2. Articles 62.001(5) and (6), Code of Criminal
Procedure, are amended to read as follows:
(5) "Reportable conviction or adjudication" means a
conviction or adjudication, including an adjudication of
delinquent conduct or a deferred adjudication, that, regardless of
the pendency of an appeal, is a conviction for or an adjudication
for or based on:
(A) a violation of Section 21.02 (Continuous
sexual abuse of young child or disabled individual), 21.09
(Bestiality), 21.11 (Indecency with a child), 22.011 (Sexual
assault), 22.021 (Aggravated sexual assault), or 25.02 (Prohibited
sexual conduct), Penal Code;
(B) a violation of Section 43.04 (Aggravated
promotion of prostitution), 43.05 (Compelling prostitution), 43.25
(Sexual performance by a child), or 43.26 (Possession or promotion
of child pornography), Penal Code;
(B-1) a violation of Section 43.021
(Solicitation of Prostitution), Penal Code, if the offense is
punishable as a felony of the second degree;
(C) a violation of Section 20.04(a)(4)
(Aggravated kidnapping), Penal Code, if the actor committed the
offense or engaged in the conduct with intent to violate or abuse
the victim sexually;
(D) a violation of Section 30.02 (Burglary),
Penal Code, if the offense or conduct is punishable under
Subsection (d) of that section and the actor committed the offense
or engaged in the conduct with intent to commit a felony listed in
Paragraph (A) or (C);
(E) a violation of Section 20.02 (Unlawful
restraint), 20.03 (Kidnapping), or 20.04 (Aggravated kidnapping),
Penal Code, if, as applicable:
(i) the judgment in the case contains an
affirmative finding under Article 42.015; or
(ii) the order in the hearing or the papers
in the case contain an affirmative finding that the victim or
intended victim was younger than 17 years of age;
(F) the second violation of Section 21.08
(Indecent exposure), Penal Code, but not if the second violation
results in a deferred adjudication;
(G) an attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation, as
defined by Chapter 15, Penal Code, to commit an offense or engage in
conduct listed in Paragraph (A), (B), (C), (D), (E), (K), [or] (L),
or (M);
(H) a violation of the laws of another state,
federal law, the laws of a foreign country, or the Uniform Code of
Military Justice for or based on the violation of an offense
containing elements that are substantially similar to the elements
of an offense listed under Paragraph (A), (B), (B-1), (C), (D), (E),
(G), (J), (K), [or] (L), or (M), but not if the violation results in
a deferred adjudication;
(I) the second violation of the laws of another
state, federal law, the laws of a foreign country, or the Uniform
Code of Military Justice for or based on the violation of an offense
containing elements that are substantially similar to the elements
of the offense of indecent exposure, but not if the second violation
results in a deferred adjudication;
(J) a violation of Section 33.021 (Online
solicitation of a minor), Penal Code;
(K) a violation of Section 20A.02(a)(3), (4),
(7), or (8) (Trafficking of persons), Penal Code; [or]
(L) a violation of Section 20A.03 (Continuous
trafficking of persons), Penal Code, if the offense is based partly
or wholly on conduct that constitutes an offense under Section
20A.02(a)(3), (4), (7), or (8) of that code; or
(M) a violation of Section 25.04 (Enticing a
child), Penal Code, if the offense or conduct is punishable under
Subsection (c) of that section.
(6) "Sexually violent offense" means any of the
following offenses committed by a person 17 years of age or older:
(A) an offense under Section 21.02 (Continuous
sexual abuse of young child or disabled individual), 21.11(a)(1)
(Indecency with a child), 22.011 (Sexual assault), or 22.021
(Aggravated sexual assault), Penal Code;
(B) an offense under Section 43.25 (Sexual
performance by a child), Penal Code;
(C) an offense under Section 20.04(a)(4)
(Aggravated kidnapping), Penal Code, if the defendant committed the
offense with intent to violate or abuse the victim sexually;
(D) an offense under Section 30.02 (Burglary),
Penal Code, if the offense is punishable under Subsection (d) of
that section and the defendant committed the offense with intent to
commit a felony listed in Paragraph (A) or (C) of Subdivision (5);
[or]
(E) an offense under Section 25.04 (Enticing a
child), Penal Code, if the offense is punishable under Subsection
(c) of that section; or
(F) an offense under the laws of another state,
federal law, the laws of a foreign country, or the Uniform Code of
Military Justice if the offense contains elements that are
substantially similar to the elements of an offense listed under
Paragraph (A), (B), (C), [or] (D), or (E).
SECTION 3. Section 411.1471(a), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) This section applies to a defendant who is:
(1) arrested for any offense punishable as a felony;
or
(2) convicted of an offense:
(A) under Title 5, Penal Code, that is punishable
as a Class A misdemeanor, except for an offense punishable as a
Class A misdemeanor under Section 22.05, Penal Code; or
(B) punishable as a Class A or B misdemeanor, as
applicable, under Section 21.08[, 25.04,] or 43.24, Penal Code.
SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply 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 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.