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AN ACT
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relating to increasing the criminal penalty for certain offenses if |
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committed at certain locations. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 12, Penal Code, is amended |
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by adding Section 12.502 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 12.502. PENALTY IF OFFENSE COMMITTED ON PREMISES OF |
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POSTSECONDARY EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Postsecondary educational institution" means: |
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(A) an institution of higher education or a |
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private or independent institution of higher education as defined |
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by Section 61.003, Education Code; or |
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(B) a career school or college as defined by |
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Section 132.001, Education Code. |
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(2) "Premises" means real property and all buildings |
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and appurtenances pertaining to the real property. |
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(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), if it is shown on |
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the trial of an offense under Section 21.07, 21.08, 21.15, or 21.17 |
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that the offense was committed in a location that was on the |
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premises of a postsecondary educational institution, the category |
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of punishment for the offense is increased to a higher category of |
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offense as follows: |
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(1) a Class C misdemeanor is increased to a Class B |
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misdemeanor; |
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(2) a Class B misdemeanor is increased to a Class A |
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misdemeanor; |
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(3) a Class A misdemeanor is increased to a state jail |
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felony; and |
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(4) a state jail felony is increased to a felony of the |
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third degree. |
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(c) For an offense otherwise punishable under Subsection |
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(b), if it is shown on the trial of the offense that the person has |
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been previously convicted twice of an offense under Section 21.07, |
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21.08, 21.15, or 21.17 for which the punishment was increased under |
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Subsection (b), the category of punishment for the offense is |
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increased to a higher category of offense as follows: |
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(1) a Class C misdemeanor is increased to a Class A |
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misdemeanor; |
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(2) a Class B misdemeanor is increased to a state jail |
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felony; |
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(3) a Class A misdemeanor is increased to a felony of |
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the third degree; and |
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(4) a state jail felony is increased to a felony of the |
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second degree. |
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(d) If the punishment scheme for an offense under Section |
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21.07, 21.08, 21.15, or 21.17 contains a specific enhancement |
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provision increasing punishment to a higher minimum term of |
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punishment than the minimum term required by the applicable higher |
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category of offense prescribed by Subsection (b) or (c), the |
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specific enhancement provision controls over this section. |
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(e) A previous conviction may be used for purposes of |
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enhancement under this section or under another provision of |
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Subchapter D, Chapter 12, but not under both this section and the |
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other provision. |
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SECTION 2. Section 20A.02(b-1), Penal Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b-1) An offense under this section is a felony of the first |
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degree punishable by imprisonment in the Texas Department of |
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Criminal Justice for life or for a term of not more than 99 years or |
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less than 25 years if it is shown on the trial of the offense that |
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the actor committed the offense in a location that was: |
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(1) on the premises of or within 1,000 feet of the |
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premises of: |
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(A) a school; or |
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(B) an institution of higher education or private |
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or independent institution of higher education, as defined by |
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Section 61.003, Education Code; or |
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(2) on premises or within 1,000 feet of premises |
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where: |
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(A) an official school function was taking place; |
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or |
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(B) an event sponsored or sanctioned by the |
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University Interscholastic League was taking place. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, |
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and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For |
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purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the |
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effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred |
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before that date. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 3553 was passed by the House on May 4, |
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2023, by the following vote: Yeas 145, Nays 0, 2 present, not |
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voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. |
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No. 3553 on May 25, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 141, Nays 1, |
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2 present, not voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 3553 was passed by the Senate, with |
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amendments, on May 18, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays |
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0. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: __________________ |
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Date |
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__________________ |
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Governor |