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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to certain criminal conduct and organizations that |
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threaten the security of this state and its residents and borders; |
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increasing criminal penalties. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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ARTICLE 1. CRIMINAL CONDUCT INVOLVING SMUGGLING OF PERSONS OR |
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OPERATION OF A STASH HOUSE |
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SECTION 1.01. Section 12.50, Penal Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a), (b), and (c) and adding Subsection (d) to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) Subject to Subsections [Subsection] (c) and (d), the |
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punishment for an offense described by Subsection (b) is increased |
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to the punishment prescribed for the next higher category of |
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offense if it is shown on the trial of the offense that the offense |
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was committed in an area that was, at the time of the offense: |
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(1) subject to a declaration of a state of disaster |
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made by: |
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(A) the president of the United States under the |
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Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (42 |
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U.S.C. Section 5121 et seq.); |
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(B) the governor under Section 418.014, |
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Government Code; or |
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(C) the presiding officer of the governing body |
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of a political subdivision under Section 418.108, Government Code; |
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or |
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(2) subject to an emergency evacuation order. |
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(b) The increase in punishment authorized by this section |
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applies only to an offense under: |
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(1) Section 20.05; |
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(2) Section 20.06; |
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(3) Section 20.07; |
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(4) Section 22.01; |
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(5) [(2)] Section 28.02; |
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(6) [(3)] Section 29.02; |
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(7) [(4)] Section 30.02; |
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(8) [(5)] Section 30.03; |
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(9) [(6)] Section 30.04; |
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(10) [(7)] Section 30.05; and |
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(11) [(8)] Section 31.03. |
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(c) If an offense listed under Subsection (b) [(b)(1), (5), |
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(6), (7), or (8)] is punishable as a Class A misdemeanor, the |
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minimum term of confinement for the offense is increased to 180 |
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days. Except as provided by Subsection (d), if [If] an offense |
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listed under Subsection (b) [(b)(2), (4), or (8)] is punishable as a |
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felony of the first degree, the punishment for that offense may not |
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be increased under this section. |
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(d) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, the |
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minimum term of imprisonment for an offense listed under Subsection |
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(b)(1) or (2) for which punishment is increased under this section |
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is 10 years. If an offense listed under Subsection (b)(1) or (2) is |
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punishable as a felony of the first degree, the minimum term of |
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imprisonment is increased to 15 years unless another provision of |
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law applicable to the offense provides for a minimum term of |
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imprisonment of 15 years or more. |
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SECTION 1.02. Section 20.05(b), Penal Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) An offense under this section is a felony of the third |
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degree with a term of imprisonment of 10 years, except that the |
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offense is: |
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(1) a felony of the second degree with a minimum term |
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of imprisonment of 10 years if: |
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(A) the actor commits the offense in a manner |
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that creates a substantial likelihood that the smuggled individual |
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will suffer serious bodily injury or death; |
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(B) the smuggled individual is a child younger |
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than 18 years of age at the time of the offense; |
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(C) the offense was committed with the intent to |
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obtain a pecuniary benefit; |
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(D) during the commission of the offense the |
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actor, another party to the offense, or an individual assisted, |
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guided, or directed by the actor knowingly possessed a firearm; or |
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(E) the actor commits the offense under |
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Subsection (a)(1)(B); or |
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(2) a felony of the first degree with a minimum term of |
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imprisonment of 10 years if: |
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(A) it is shown on the trial of the offense that, |
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as a direct result of the commission of the offense, the smuggled |
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individual became a victim of sexual assault, as defined by Section |
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22.011, or aggravated sexual assault, as defined by Section 22.021; |
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or |
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(B) the smuggled individual suffered serious |
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bodily injury or death. |
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SECTION 1.03. Sections 20.06(e) and (f), Penal Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(e) Except as provided by Subsections (f) and (g), an |
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offense under this section is a felony of the second degree with a |
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minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years. |
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(f) An offense under this section is a felony of the first |
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degree with a minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years if: |
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(1) the conduct constituting an offense under Section |
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20.05 is conducted in a manner that creates a substantial |
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likelihood that the smuggled individual will suffer serious bodily |
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injury or death; or |
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(2) the smuggled individual is a child younger than 18 |
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years of age at the time of the offense. |
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SECTION 1.04. Section 20.07(b), Penal Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) An offense under this section is a felony of the third |
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degree [Class A misdemeanor]. |
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SECTION 1.05. The changes in law made by this article apply |
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only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this |
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Act. 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 was |
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committed before that date. |
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ARTICLE 2. FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS |
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SECTION 2.01. The heading to Subchapter D, Chapter 125, |
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Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER D. MEMBERSHIP IN CRIMINAL STREET GANG OR FOREIGN |
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TERRORIST ORGANIZATION |
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SECTION 2.02. Sections 125.061(1) and (3), Civil Practice |
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and Remedies Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(1) "Combination," [and] "criminal street gang," and |
|
"foreign terrorist organization" have the meanings assigned by |
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Section 71.01, Penal Code. |
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(3) "Gang activity" means the following types of |
|
conduct: |
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(A) organized criminal activity as described by |
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Section 71.02, Penal Code; |
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(B) terroristic threat as described by Section |
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22.07, Penal Code; |
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(C) coercing, inducing, or soliciting [, or |
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inducing gang] membership in a criminal street gang or foreign |
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terrorist organization as described by Section 71.022(a) or (a-1), |
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Penal Code; |
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(D) criminal trespass as described by Section |
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30.05, Penal Code; |
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(E) disorderly conduct as described by Section |
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42.01, Penal Code; |
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(F) criminal mischief as described by Section |
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28.03, Penal Code, that causes a pecuniary loss of $500 or more; |
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(G) a graffiti offense in violation of Section |
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28.08, Penal Code; |
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(H) a weapons offense in violation of Chapter 46, |
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Penal Code; or |
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(I) unlawful possession of a substance or other |
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item in violation of Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code. |
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SECTION 2.03. Section 125.062, Civil Practice and Remedies |
|
Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 125.062. PUBLIC NUISANCE; COMBINATION. A |
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combination, [or] criminal street gang, or foreign terrorist |
|
organization that continuously or regularly associates in gang |
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activities is a public nuisance. |
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SECTION 2.04. Section 125.063, Civil Practice and Remedies |
|
Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 125.063. PUBLIC NUISANCE; USE OF PLACE. The habitual |
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use of a place by a combination, [or] criminal street gang, or |
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foreign terrorist organization for engaging in gang activity is a |
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public nuisance. |
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SECTION 2.05. Section 125.064(b), Civil Practice and |
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Remedies Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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(b) Any person who habitually associates with others to |
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engage in gang activity as a member of a combination, [or] criminal |
|
street gang, or foreign terrorist organization may be made a |
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defendant in the suit. Any person who owns or is responsible for |
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maintaining a place that is habitually used for engaging in gang |
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activity may be made a defendant in the suit. |
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SECTION 2.06. Section 125.065(a), Civil Practice and |
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Remedies Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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(a) If the court finds that a combination, [or] criminal |
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street gang, or foreign terrorist organization constitutes a public |
|
nuisance, the court may enter an order: |
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(1) enjoining a defendant in the suit from engaging in |
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the gang activities of the combination, [or] criminal street gang, |
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or foreign terrorist organization; and |
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(2) imposing other reasonable requirements to prevent |
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the combination, [or] criminal street gang, or foreign terrorist |
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organization from engaging in future gang activities. |
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SECTION 2.07. Section 125.069, Civil Practice and Remedies |
|
Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 125.069. USE OF PLACE; EVIDENCE. In an action brought |
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under this subchapter, proof that gang activity by a member of a |
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combination, [or] a criminal street gang, or a foreign terrorist |
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organization is frequently committed at a place or proof that a |
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place is frequently used for engaging in gang activity by a member |
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of a combination, [or] a criminal street gang, or a foreign |
|
terrorist organization is prima facie evidence that the proprietor |
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knowingly permitted the act, unless the act constitutes conspiring |
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to commit gang activity. |
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SECTION 2.08. Sections 125.070(b), (c), and (e), Civil |
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Practice and Remedies Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(b) A criminal street gang or foreign terrorist |
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organization or a member of a criminal street gang or foreign |
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terrorist organization is liable to the state or a governmental |
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entity injured by the violation of a temporary or permanent |
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injunctive order under this subchapter. |
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(c) In an action brought against a member of a criminal |
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street gang or a member of a foreign terrorist organization, the |
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plaintiff must show that the member violated the temporary or |
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permanent injunctive order. |
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(e) The property of the criminal street gang or foreign |
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terrorist organization or a member of the criminal street gang or |
|
foreign terrorist organization may be seized in execution on a |
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judgment under this section. Property may not be seized under this |
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subsection if the owner or interest holder of the property proves by |
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a preponderance of the evidence that the owner or interest holder |
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was not a member of the criminal street gang or foreign terrorist |
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organization and did not violate the temporary or permanent |
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injunctive order. The owner or interest holder of property that is |
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in the possession of a criminal street gang or foreign terrorist |
|
organization or a member of the criminal street gang or foreign |
|
terrorist organization and that is subject to execution under this |
|
subsection must show that the property: |
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(1) was stolen from the owner or interest holder; or |
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(2) was used or intended to be used without the |
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effective consent of the owner or interest holder by the criminal |
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street gang or foreign terrorist organization or a member of the |
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criminal street gang or foreign terrorist organization. |
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SECTION 2.09. Article 67.001, Code of Criminal Procedure, |
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is amended by adding Subdivision (8-a) and amending Subdivision (9) |
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to read as follows: |
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(8-a) "Foreign terrorist organization" has the meaning |
|
assigned by Section 71.01, Penal Code. |
|
(9) "Intelligence database" means a collection or |
|
compilation of data organized for search and retrieval to evaluate, |
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analyze, disseminate, or use intelligence information relating to a |
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combination, [or] criminal street gang, or foreign terrorist |
|
organization for the purpose of investigating or prosecuting a |
|
criminal offense. |
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SECTION 2.10. Articles 67.051(a) and (b), Code of Criminal |
|
Procedure, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Subject to Subsection (b), a criminal justice agency or |
|
juvenile justice agency shall compile criminal information into an |
|
intelligence database for the purpose of investigating or |
|
prosecuting the criminal activities of combinations, [or] criminal |
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street gangs, or foreign terrorist organizations. |
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(b) A law enforcement agency in a municipality with a |
|
population of 50,000 or more or in a county with a population of |
|
100,000 or more shall compile and maintain in a local or regional |
|
intelligence database criminal information relating to a criminal |
|
street gang or a foreign terrorist organization as provided by |
|
Subsection (a). The agency must compile and maintain the |
|
information in accordance with the criminal intelligence systems |
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operating policies established under 28 C.F.R. Section 23.1 et seq. |
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and the submission criteria established under Article 67.054(b). |
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SECTION 2.11. Article 67.054(b), Code of Criminal |
|
Procedure, is amended to read as follows: |
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(b) Criminal information collected under this chapter |
|
relating to a criminal street gang or foreign terrorist |
|
organization must: |
|
(1) be relevant to the identification of an |
|
organization that is reasonably suspected of involvement in |
|
criminal activity; and |
|
(2) consist of: |
|
(A) a judgment under any law that includes, as a |
|
finding or as an element of a criminal offense, participation in a |
|
criminal street gang or foreign terrorist organization; |
|
(B) a self-admission by an individual of |
|
membership in a criminal street gang or foreign terrorist |
|
organization [membership] that is made during a judicial |
|
proceeding; or |
|
(C) except as provided by Subsection (c), any two |
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of the following: |
|
(i) a self-admission by the individual of |
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membership in a criminal street gang or foreign terrorist |
|
organization [membership] that is not made during a judicial |
|
proceeding, including the use of the Internet or other electronic |
|
format or medium to post photographs or other documentation |
|
identifying the individual as a member of a criminal street gang or |
|
foreign terrorist organization; |
|
(ii) an identification of the individual as |
|
a member of a criminal street gang or foreign terrorist |
|
organization [member] by a reliable informant or other individual; |
|
(iii) a corroborated identification of the |
|
individual as a member of a criminal street gang or foreign |
|
terrorist organization [member] by an informant or other individual |
|
of unknown reliability; |
|
(iv) evidence that the individual frequents |
|
a documented area of a criminal street gang or foreign terrorist |
|
organization and associates with known members of a criminal street |
|
gang or foreign terrorist organization [members]; |
|
(v) evidence that the individual uses, in |
|
more than an incidental manner, criminal street gang or foreign |
|
terrorist organization dress, hand signals, tattoos, or symbols, |
|
including expressions of letters, numbers, words, or marks, |
|
regardless of how or the means by which the symbols are displayed, |
|
that are associated with a criminal street gang or foreign |
|
terrorist organization that operates in an area frequented by the |
|
individual and described by Subparagraph (iv); |
|
(vi) evidence that the individual has been |
|
arrested or taken into custody with known members of a criminal |
|
street gang or foreign terrorist organization [members] for an |
|
offense or conduct consistent with [criminal street] gang activity |
|
as defined by Section 125.061, Civil Practice and Remedies Code; |
|
(vii) evidence that the individual has |
|
visited a known member of a criminal street gang or foreign |
|
terrorist organization [member], other than a family member of the |
|
individual, while the [gang] member is confined in or committed to a |
|
penal institution; or |
|
(viii) evidence of the individual's use of |
|
technology, including the Internet, to recruit new members of a |
|
criminal street gang or foreign terrorist organization [members]. |
|
SECTION 2.12. Articles 67.102(a) and (d), Code of Criminal |
|
Procedure, are amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) Notwithstanding Chapter 58, Family Code, criminal |
|
information relating to a child associated with a combination, [or] |
|
criminal street gang, or foreign terrorist organization may be |
|
compiled and released under this chapter regardless of the age of |
|
the child. |
|
(d) The governing body of a county or municipality served by |
|
a law enforcement agency described by Article 67.051(b) may adopt a |
|
policy to notify the parent or guardian of a child of the agency's |
|
observations relating to the child's association with a criminal |
|
street gang or foreign terrorist organization. |
|
SECTION 2.13. Article 67.251, Code of Criminal Procedure, |
|
is amended to read as follows: |
|
Art. 67.251. ESTABLISHMENT OF GANG RESOURCE SYSTEM. The |
|
office of the attorney general shall establish an electronic gang |
|
resource system to provide criminal justice agencies and juvenile |
|
justice agencies with information about criminal street gangs and |
|
foreign terrorist organizations in this state. |
|
SECTION 2.14. Articles 67.252(a) and (b), Code of Criminal |
|
Procedure, are amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) The gang resource system established under Article |
|
67.251 may include the following information with regard to any |
|
gang or foreign terrorist organization: |
|
(1) gang or organization name; |
|
(2) gang or organization identifiers, such as colors |
|
used, tattoos, and clothing preferences; |
|
(3) criminal activities; |
|
(4) migration trends; |
|
(5) recruitment activities; and |
|
(6) a local law enforcement contact. |
|
(b) Information in the gang resource system shall be |
|
accessible according to: |
|
(1) municipality or county; and |
|
(2) gang or organization name. |
|
SECTION 2.15. Article 67.254(a), Code of Criminal |
|
Procedure, is amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) On request by the office of the attorney general, a |
|
criminal justice agency or juvenile justice agency shall make a |
|
reasonable attempt to provide gang and foreign terrorist |
|
organization information to the office of the attorney general for |
|
the purpose of maintaining an updated, comprehensive gang resource |
|
system. |
|
SECTION 2.16. Article 67.255, Code of Criminal Procedure, |
|
is amended to read as follows: |
|
Art. 67.255. USE OF INFORMATION. Information in the gang |
|
resource system may be used in investigating [gang-related] crimes |
|
relating to a criminal street gang or foreign terrorist |
|
organization. Information from the system may be included in an |
|
affidavit or subpoena or used in connection with any other legal or |
|
judicial proceeding only if the information is corroborated by |
|
information not provided by or maintained in the system. |
|
SECTION 2.17. Section 71.01, Penal Code, is amended by |
|
adding Subsection (e) to read as follows: |
|
(e) "Foreign terrorist organization" means three or more |
|
persons operating as an organization at least partially outside the |
|
United States who engage in criminal activity and threaten the |
|
security of this state or its residents, including but not limited |
|
to a drug cartel. |
|
SECTION 2.18. Section 71.02(a), Penal Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
(a) A person commits an offense if, with the intent to |
|
establish, maintain, or participate in a combination or in the |
|
profits of a combination or as a member of a criminal street gang or |
|
foreign terrorist organization, the person commits or conspires to |
|
commit one or more of the following: |
|
(1) murder, capital murder, arson, aggravated |
|
robbery, robbery, burglary, theft, aggravated kidnapping, |
|
kidnapping, aggravated assault, aggravated sexual assault, sexual |
|
assault, continuous sexual abuse of young child or disabled |
|
individual, solicitation of a minor, forgery, deadly conduct, |
|
assault punishable as a Class A misdemeanor, burglary of a motor |
|
vehicle, or unauthorized use of a motor vehicle; |
|
(2) any gambling offense punishable as a Class A |
|
misdemeanor; |
|
(3) promotion of prostitution, aggravated promotion |
|
of prostitution, or compelling prostitution; |
|
(4) unlawful manufacture, transportation, repair, or |
|
sale of firearms or prohibited weapons; |
|
(5) unlawful manufacture, delivery, dispensation, or |
|
distribution of a controlled substance or dangerous drug, or |
|
unlawful possession of a controlled substance or dangerous drug: |
|
(A) through forgery, fraud, misrepresentation, |
|
or deception; or |
|
(B) with the intent to deliver the controlled |
|
substance or dangerous drug; |
|
(5-a) causing the unlawful delivery, dispensation, or |
|
distribution of a controlled substance or dangerous drug in |
|
violation of Subtitle B, Title 3, Occupations Code; |
|
(6) any unlawful wholesale promotion or possession of |
|
any obscene material or obscene device with the intent to wholesale |
|
promote the same; |
|
(7) any offense under Subchapter B, Chapter 43, |
|
depicting or involving conduct by or directed toward a child |
|
younger than 18 years of age; |
|
(8) any felony offense under Chapter 32; |
|
(9) any offense under Chapter 36; |
|
(10) any offense under Chapter 34, 35, or 35A; |
|
(11) any offense under Section 37.11(a); |
|
(12) any offense under Chapter 20A; |
|
(13) any offense under Section 37.10; |
|
(14) any offense under Section 38.06, 38.07, 38.09, or |
|
38.11; |
|
(15) any offense under Section 42.10; |
|
(16) any offense under Section 46.06(a)(1) or 46.14; |
|
(17) any offense under Section 20.05, [or] 20.06, or |
|
20.07; |
|
(18) any offense under Section 16.02; or |
|
(19) any offense classified as a felony under the Tax |
|
Code. |
|
SECTION 2.19. The heading to Section 71.022, Penal Code, is |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 71.022. COERCING, INDUCING, OR SOLICITING MEMBERSHIP |
|
IN A CRIMINAL STREET GANG OR FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION. |
|
SECTION 2.20. Sections 71.022(a) and (a-1), Penal Code, are |
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
(a) A person commits an offense if the person knowingly |
|
causes, enables, encourages, recruits, or solicits another person |
|
to become a member of a criminal street gang or foreign terrorist |
|
organization which, as a condition of initiation, admission, |
|
membership, or continued membership, requires the commission of any |
|
conduct which constitutes an offense punishable as a Class A |
|
misdemeanor or a felony. |
|
(a-1) A person commits an offense if, with intent to coerce, |
|
induce, or solicit a child to actively participate in the |
|
activities of a criminal street gang or foreign terrorist |
|
organization, the person: |
|
(1) threatens the child or a member of the child's |
|
family with imminent bodily injury; or |
|
(2) causes bodily injury to the child or a member of |
|
the child's family. |
|
SECTION 2.21. Section 71.023, Penal Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
Sec. 71.023. DIRECTING ACTIVITIES OF CRIMINAL STREET GANGS |
|
OR FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS. (a) A person commits an |
|
offense if the person, as part of the identifiable leadership of a |
|
criminal street gang or foreign terrorist organization, knowingly |
|
finances, directs, or supervises the commission of, or a conspiracy |
|
to commit, one or more of the following offenses by members of a |
|
criminal street gang or foreign terrorist organization: |
|
(1) a felony offense that is listed in Article |
|
42A.054(a), Code of Criminal Procedure; |
|
(2) a felony offense for which it is shown that a |
|
deadly weapon, as defined by Section 1.07, was used or exhibited |
|
during the commission of the offense or during immediate flight |
|
from the commission of the offense; or |
|
(3) an offense that is punishable under Section |
|
481.112(e) or (f), 481.1121(b)(4), 481.1123(d), (e), or (f), |
|
481.115(f), or 481.120(b)(6), Health and Safety Code. |
|
(b) An offense under this section is a felony of the first |
|
degree punishable by imprisonment in the Texas Department of |
|
Criminal Justice for life or for any term of not more than 99 years |
|
or less than 25 years. |
|
SECTION 2.22. Section 5.005, Property Code, is amended to |
|
read as follows: |
|
Sec. 5.005. ALIENS. Except as provided by Section 5.0051, |
|
an [An] alien has the same real and personal property rights as a |
|
United States citizen. |
|
SECTION 2.23. Subchapter A, Chapter 5, Property Code, is |
|
amended by adding Section 5.0051 to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 5.0051. ACQUISITION OF TITLE TO REAL PROPERTY BY |
|
FOREIGN TERRORIST ORGANIZATION. Notwithstanding any other law, a |
|
foreign terrorist organization, as defined by Section 71.01, Penal |
|
Code, and identified by the Department of Public Safety |
|
intelligence database described by Article 67.052, Code of Criminal |
|
Procedure, may not purchase or otherwise acquire title to real |
|
property in this state. |
|
SECTION 2.24. Chapter 125, Civil Practice and Remedies |
|
Code, as amended by this article, applies only to an action |
|
commenced on or after the effective date of this Act. An action |
|
commenced before the effective date of this Act is governed by the |
|
law as it existed immediately before the effective date of this Act, |
|
and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
|
SECTION 2.25. Chapter 71, Penal Code, as amended by this |
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article, applies only to an offense committed on or after the |
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effective date of this Act. An offense committed before the |
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effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the |
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date the offense was committed, and the former law is continued in |
|
effect for that purpose. For purposes of this section, an offense |
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was committed before the effective date of this Act if any element |
|
of the offense occurred before that date. |
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SECTION 2.26. Section 5.0051, Property Code, as added by |
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this article, applies only to the purchase of or acquisition of |
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title to real property on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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ARTICLE 3. EFFECTIVE DATE |
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SECTION 3.01. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |