Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1551 Compare Versions

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11 85R19700 JCG/GRM-F
22 By: Krause, Workman H.B. No. 1551
33 Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1551:
44 By: Moody C.S.H.B. No. 1551
55
66
77 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
88 AN ACT
99 relating to the creation of a commission to review certain penal
1010 laws of this state and certain recommendations regarding those
1111 laws, to criminal offenses previously compiled in statutes outside
1212 the Penal Code, to repealing certain of those offenses, and to
1313 conforming punishments for certain of those offenses to the penalty
1414 structure provided in the Penal Code; increasing the punishment for
1515 sabotage and sedition; imposing a civil penalty.
1616 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1717 ARTICLE 1. PURPOSE
1818 SECTION 1.01. PURPOSE. The purpose of this Act is to
1919 implement the recommendations of the commission created by Section
2020 29, Chapter 1251 (H.B. 1396), Acts of the 84th Legislature, Regular
2121 Session, 2015, and to authorize additional review of the penal laws
2222 described by Section 2.01(a) of this Act.
2323 ARTICLE 2. COMMISSION TO STUDY CERTAIN PENAL LAWS
2424 SECTION 2.01. COMMISSION TO STUDY CERTAIN PENAL LAWS.
2525 (a) A commission is created to study and review all penal laws of
2626 this state other than criminal offenses:
2727 (1) under the Penal Code;
2828 (2) under Chapter 481, Health and Safety Code; or
2929 (3) related to the operation of a motor vehicle.
3030 (b) The commission shall:
3131 (1) evaluate all laws described by Subsection (a) of
3232 this section;
3333 (2) make recommendations to the legislature regarding
3434 the repeal or amendment of laws that are identified as being
3535 unnecessary, unclear, duplicative, overly broad, or otherwise
3636 insufficient to serve the intended purpose of the law, including
3737 the laws identified by the commission created by Section 29,
3838 Chapter 1251 (H.B. 1396), Acts of the 84th Legislature, Regular
3939 Session, 2015, as requiring additional review; and
4040 (3) evaluate the recommendations made by the
4141 commission created by Section 29, Chapter 1251 (H.B. 1396), Acts of
4242 the 84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015.
4343 (c) The commission is composed of nine members appointed as
4444 follows:
4545 (1) two members appointed by the governor;
4646 (2) two members appointed by the lieutenant governor;
4747 (3) two members appointed by the speaker of the house
4848 of representatives;
4949 (4) two members appointed by the chief justice of the
5050 Supreme Court of Texas; and
5151 (5) one member appointed by the presiding judge of the
5252 Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
5353 (d) The officials making appointments to the commission
5454 under Subsection (c) of this section shall ensure that the
5555 membership of the commission includes representatives of all areas
5656 of the criminal justice system, including prosecutors, defense
5757 attorneys, judges, legal scholars, and relevant business
5858 interests.
5959 (e) The governor shall designate one member of the
6060 commission to serve as the presiding officer of the commission.
6161 (f) A member of the commission is not entitled to
6262 compensation or reimbursement of expenses.
6363 (g) The commission shall meet at the call of the presiding
6464 officer.
6565 (h) Not later than November 1, 2018, the commission shall
6666 report the commission's findings and recommendations to the
6767 governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of
6868 representatives, the Supreme Court of Texas, the Texas Court of
6969 Criminal Appeals, and the standing committees of the house of
7070 representatives and the senate with primary jurisdiction over
7171 criminal justice. The commission shall include in its
7272 recommendations any specific statutes that the commission
7373 recommends repealing or amending.
7474 SECTION 2.02. APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS. Not later than the
7575 60th day after the effective date of this Act, the governor, the
7676 lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives,
7777 the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Texas, and the presiding
7878 judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals shall appoint the
7979 members of the commission created under this article.
8080 SECTION 2.03. ABOLITION OF COMMISSION. The commission is
8181 abolished and this article expires December 31, 2018.
8282 ARTICLE 3. MISCELLANEOUS AMENDMENTS RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES
8383 SECTION 3.01. Section 17.46(b), Business & Commerce Code,
8484 as amended by Chapters 1023 (H.B. 1265) and 1080 (H.B. 2573), Acts
8585 of the 84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, is reenacted and
8686 amended to read as follows:
8787 (b) Except as provided in Subsection (d) of this section,
8888 the term "false, misleading, or deceptive acts or practices"
8989 includes, but is not limited to, the following acts:
9090 (1) passing off goods or services as those of another;
9191 (2) causing confusion or misunderstanding as to the
9292 source, sponsorship, approval, or certification of goods or
9393 services;
9494 (3) causing confusion or misunderstanding as to
9595 affiliation, connection, or association with, or certification by,
9696 another;
9797 (4) using deceptive representations or designations
9898 of geographic origin in connection with goods or services;
9999 (5) representing that goods or services have
100100 sponsorship, approval, characteristics, ingredients, uses,
101101 benefits, or quantities which they do not have or that a person has
102102 a sponsorship, approval, status, affiliation, or connection which
103103 the person does not;
104104 (6) representing that goods are original or new if
105105 they are deteriorated, reconditioned, reclaimed, used, or
106106 secondhand;
107107 (7) representing that goods or services are of a
108108 particular standard, quality, or grade, or that goods are of a
109109 particular style or model, if they are of another;
110110 (8) disparaging the goods, services, or business of
111111 another by false or misleading representation of facts;
112112 (9) advertising goods or services with intent not to
113113 sell them as advertised;
114114 (10) advertising goods or services with intent not to
115115 supply a reasonable expectable public demand, unless the
116116 advertisements disclosed a limitation of quantity;
117117 (11) making false or misleading statements of fact
118118 concerning the reasons for, existence of, or amount of price
119119 reductions;
120120 (12) representing that an agreement confers or
121121 involves rights, remedies, or obligations which it does not have or
122122 involve, or which are prohibited by law;
123123 (13) knowingly making false or misleading statements
124124 of fact concerning the need for parts, replacement, or repair
125125 service;
126126 (14) misrepresenting the authority of a salesman,
127127 representative or agent to negotiate the final terms of a consumer
128128 transaction;
129129 (15) basing a charge for the repair of any item in
130130 whole or in part on a guaranty or warranty instead of on the value of
131131 the actual repairs made or work to be performed on the item without
132132 stating separately the charges for the work and the charge for the
133133 warranty or guaranty, if any;
134134 (16) disconnecting, turning back, or resetting the
135135 odometer of any motor vehicle so as to reduce the number of miles
136136 indicated on the odometer gauge;
137137 (17) advertising of any sale by fraudulently
138138 representing that a person is going out of business;
139139 (18) advertising, selling, or distributing a card
140140 which purports to be a prescription drug identification card issued
141141 under Section 4151.152, Insurance Code, in accordance with rules
142142 adopted by the commissioner of insurance, which offers a discount
143143 on the purchase of health care goods or services from a third party
144144 provider, and which is not evidence of insurance coverage, unless:
145145 (A) the discount is authorized under an agreement
146146 between the seller of the card and the provider of those goods and
147147 services or the discount or card is offered to members of the
148148 seller;
149149 (B) the seller does not represent that the card
150150 provides insurance coverage of any kind; and
151151 (C) the discount is not false, misleading, or
152152 deceptive;
153153 (19) using or employing a chain referral sales plan in
154154 connection with the sale or offer to sell of goods, merchandise, or
155155 anything of value, which uses the sales technique, plan,
156156 arrangement, or agreement in which the buyer or prospective buyer
157157 is offered the opportunity to purchase merchandise or goods and in
158158 connection with the purchase receives the seller's promise or
159159 representation that the buyer shall have the right to receive
160160 compensation or consideration in any form for furnishing to the
161161 seller the names of other prospective buyers if receipt of the
162162 compensation or consideration is contingent upon the occurrence of
163163 an event subsequent to the time the buyer purchases the merchandise
164164 or goods;
165165 (20) representing that a guaranty or warranty confers
166166 or involves rights or remedies which it does not have or involve,
167167 provided, however, that nothing in this subchapter shall be
168168 construed to expand the implied warranty of merchantability as
169169 defined in Sections 2.314 through 2.318 and Sections 2A.212 through
170170 2A.216 to involve obligations in excess of those which are
171171 appropriate to the goods;
172172 (21) promoting a pyramid promotional scheme, as
173173 defined by Section 32.55, Penal Code [Section 17.461];
174174 (22) representing that work or services have been
175175 performed on, or parts replaced in, goods when the work or services
176176 were not performed or the parts replaced;
177177 (23) filing suit founded upon a written contractual
178178 obligation of and signed by the defendant to pay money arising out
179179 of or based on a consumer transaction for goods, services, loans, or
180180 extensions of credit intended primarily for personal, family,
181181 household, or agricultural use in any county other than in the
182182 county in which the defendant resides at the time of the
183183 commencement of the action or in the county in which the defendant
184184 in fact signed the contract; provided, however, that a violation of
185185 this subsection shall not occur where it is shown by the person
186186 filing such suit that the person neither knew or had reason to know
187187 that the county in which such suit was filed was neither the county
188188 in which the defendant resides at the commencement of the suit nor
189189 the county in which the defendant in fact signed the contract;
190190 (24) failing to disclose information concerning goods
191191 or services which was known at the time of the transaction if such
192192 failure to disclose such information was intended to induce the
193193 consumer into a transaction into which the consumer would not have
194194 entered had the information been disclosed;
195195 (25) using the term "corporation," "incorporated," or
196196 an abbreviation of either of those terms in the name of a business
197197 entity that is not incorporated under the laws of this state or
198198 another jurisdiction;
199199 (26) selling, offering to sell, or illegally promoting
200200 an annuity contract under Chapter 22, Acts of the 57th Legislature,
201201 3rd Called Session, 1962 (Article 6228a-5, Vernon's Texas Civil
202202 Statutes), with the intent that the annuity contract will be the
203203 subject of a salary reduction agreement, as defined by that Act, if
204204 the annuity contract is not an eligible qualified investment under
205205 that Act or is not registered with the Teacher Retirement System of
206206 Texas as required by Section 8A of that Act;
207207 (27) taking advantage of a disaster declared by the
208208 governor under Chapter 418, Government Code, by:
209209 (A) selling or leasing fuel, food, medicine, or
210210 another necessity at an exorbitant or excessive price; or
211211 (B) demanding an exorbitant or excessive price in
212212 connection with the sale or lease of fuel, food, medicine, or
213213 another necessity;
214214 (28) using the translation into a foreign language of
215215 a title or other word, including "attorney," "lawyer," "licensed,"
216216 "notary," and "notary public," in any written or electronic
217217 material, including an advertisement, a business card, a
218218 letterhead, stationery, a website, or an online video, in reference
219219 to a person who is not an attorney in order to imply that the person
220220 is authorized to practice law in the United States;
221221 (29) [(28)] delivering or distributing a solicitation
222222 in connection with a good or service that:
223223 (A) represents that the solicitation is sent on
224224 behalf of a governmental entity when it is not; or
225225 (B) resembles a governmental notice or form that
226226 represents or implies that a criminal penalty may be imposed if the
227227 recipient does not remit payment for the good or service;
228228 (30) [(29)] delivering or distributing a solicitation
229229 in connection with a good or service that resembles a check or other
230230 negotiable instrument or invoice, unless the portion of the
231231 solicitation that resembles a check or other negotiable instrument
232232 or invoice includes the following notice, clearly and conspicuously
233233 printed in at least 18-point type:
234234 "SPECIMEN-NON-NEGOTIABLE";
235235 (31) [(30)] in the production, sale, distribution, or
236236 promotion of a synthetic substance that produces and is intended to
237237 produce an effect when consumed or ingested similar to, or in excess
238238 of, the effect of a controlled substance or controlled substance
239239 analogue, as those terms are defined by Section 481.002, Health and
240240 Safety Code:
241241 (A) making a deceptive representation or
242242 designation about the synthetic substance; or
243243 (B) causing confusion or misunderstanding as to
244244 the effects the synthetic substance causes when consumed or
245245 ingested; or
246246 (32) [(31)] a licensed public insurance adjuster
247247 directly or indirectly soliciting employment, as defined by Section
248248 38.01, Penal Code, for an attorney, or a licensed public insurance
249249 adjuster entering into a contract with an insured for the primary
250250 purpose of referring the insured to an attorney without the intent
251251 to actually perform the services customarily provided by a licensed
252252 public insurance adjuster, provided that this subdivision may not
253253 be construed to prohibit a licensed public insurance adjuster from
254254 recommending a particular attorney to an insured.
255255 SECTION 3.02. Section 17.461, Business & Commerce Code, is
256256 transferred to Subchapter D, Chapter 32, Penal Code, and
257257 redesignated as Section 32.55, Penal Code, to read as follows:
258258 Sec. 32.55 [17.461]. PYRAMID PROMOTIONAL SCHEME. (a) In
259259 this section:
260260 (1) "Compensation" means payment of money, a financial
261261 benefit, or another thing of value. The term does not include
262262 payment based on sale of a product to a person, including a
263263 participant, who purchases the product for actual use or
264264 consumption.
265265 (2) "Consideration" means the payment of cash or the
266266 purchase of a product. The term does not include:
267267 (A) a purchase of a product furnished at cost to
268268 be used in making a sale and not for resale;
269269 (B) a purchase of a product subject to a
270270 repurchase agreement that complies with Subsection (b); or
271271 (C) time and effort spent in pursuit of a sale or
272272 in a recruiting activity.
273273 (3) "Participate" means to contribute money into a
274274 pyramid promotional scheme without promoting, organizing, or
275275 operating the scheme.
276276 (4) "Product" means a good, a service, or intangible
277277 property of any kind.
278278 (5) "Promoting a pyramid promotional scheme" means:
279279 (A) inducing or attempting to induce one or more
280280 other persons to participate in a pyramid promotional scheme; or
281281 (B) assisting another person in inducing or
282282 attempting to induce one or more other persons to participate in a
283283 pyramid promotional scheme, including by providing references.
284284 (6) "Pyramid promotional scheme" means a plan or
285285 operation by which a person gives consideration for the opportunity
286286 to receive compensation that is derived primarily from a person's
287287 introduction of other persons to participate in the plan or
288288 operation rather than from the sale of a product by a person
289289 introduced into the plan or operation.
290290 (b) To qualify as a repurchase agreement for the purposes of
291291 Subsection (a)(2)(B), an agreement must be an enforceable agreement
292292 by the seller to repurchase, on written request of the purchaser and
293293 not later than the first anniversary of the purchaser's date of
294294 purchase, all unencumbered products that are in an unused,
295295 commercially resalable condition at a price not less than 90
296296 percent of the amount actually paid by the purchaser for the
297297 products being returned, less any consideration received by the
298298 purchaser for purchase of the products being returned. A product
299299 that is no longer marketed by the seller is considered resalable if
300300 the product is otherwise in an unused, commercially resalable
301301 condition and is returned to the seller not later than the first
302302 anniversary of the purchaser's date of purchase, except that the
303303 product is not considered resalable if before the purchaser
304304 purchased the product it was clearly disclosed to the purchaser
305305 that the product was sold as a nonreturnable, discontinued,
306306 seasonal, or special promotion item.
307307 (c) A person commits an offense if the person contrives,
308308 prepares, establishes, operates, advertises, sells, or promotes a
309309 pyramid promotional scheme. An offense under this subsection is a
310310 state jail felony.
311311 (d) It is not a defense to prosecution for an offense under
312312 this section that the pyramid promotional scheme involved both a
313313 franchise to sell a product and the authority to sell additional
314314 franchises if the emphasis of the scheme is on the sale of
315315 additional franchises.
316316 SECTION 3.03. Sections 522.001 and 522.002, Business &
317317 Commerce Code, are transferred to Subchapter D, Chapter 32, Penal
318318 Code, redesignated as Section 32.511, Penal Code, and amended to
319319 read as follows:
320320 Sec. 32.511 [522.001]. IDENTITY THEFT BY ELECTRONIC DEVICE
321321 [DEFINITIONS]. (a) In this section [chapter]:
322322 (1) "Payment card" means a credit card, debit card,
323323 check card, or other card that is issued to an authorized user to
324324 purchase or obtain goods, services, money, or any other thing of
325325 value.
326326 (2) "Re-encoder" means an electronic device that can
327327 be used to transfer encoded information from a magnetic strip on a
328328 payment card onto the magnetic strip of a different payment card.
329329 (3) "Scanning device" means an electronic device used
330330 to access, read, scan, or store information encoded on the magnetic
331331 strip of a payment card.
332332 (b) [Sec. 522.002. OFFENSE; PENALTY. (a)] A person commits
333333 an offense if the person uses a scanning device or re-encoder to
334334 access, read, scan, store, or transfer information encoded on the
335335 magnetic strip of a payment card without the consent of an
336336 authorized user of the payment card and with intent to harm or
337337 defraud another.
338338 (c) [(b)] An offense under this section is a Class B
339339 misdemeanor, except that the offense is a state jail felony if the
340340 information accessed, read, scanned, stored, or transferred was
341341 protected health information as defined by the Health Insurance
342342 Portability and Accountability Act and Privacy Standards, as
343343 defined by Section 181.001, Health and Safety Code.
344344 (d) [(c)] If conduct that constitutes an offense under this
345345 section also constitutes an offense under any other law, the actor
346346 may be prosecuted under this section or the other law.
347347 SECTION 3.04. Article 18.18(g), Code of Criminal Procedure,
348348 is amended to read as follows:
349349 (g) For purposes of this article:
350350 (1) "criminal instrument" has the meaning defined in
351351 the Penal Code;
352352 (2) "gambling device or equipment, altered gambling
353353 equipment or gambling paraphernalia" has the meaning defined in the
354354 Penal Code;
355355 (3) "prohibited weapon" has the meaning defined in the
356356 Penal Code;
357357 (4) "dog-fighting equipment" means:
358358 (A) equipment used for training or handling a
359359 fighting dog, including a harness, treadmill, cage, decoy, pen,
360360 house for keeping a fighting dog, feeding apparatus, or training
361361 pen;
362362 (B) equipment used for transporting a fighting
363363 dog, including any automobile, or other vehicle, and its
364364 appurtenances which are intended to be used as a vehicle for
365365 transporting a fighting dog;
366366 (C) equipment used to promote or advertise an
367367 exhibition of dog fighting, including a printing press or similar
368368 equipment, paper, ink, or photography equipment; or
369369 (D) a dog trained, being trained, or intended to
370370 be used to fight with another dog;
371371 (5) "obscene device" and "obscene" have the meanings
372372 assigned by Section 43.21, Penal Code;
373373 (6) "re-encoder" has the meaning assigned by Section
374374 32.511, Penal [522.001, Business & Commerce] Code;
375375 (7) "scanning device" has the meaning assigned by
376376 Section 32.511, Penal [522.001, Business & Commerce] Code; and
377377 (8) "obscene material" and "child pornography"
378378 include digital images and the media and equipment on which those
379379 images are stored.
380380 SECTION 3.05. Article 59.01(2), Code of Criminal Procedure,
381381 is amended to read as follows:
382382 (2) "Contraband" means property of any nature,
383383 including real, personal, tangible, or intangible, that is:
384384 (A) used in the commission of:
385385 (i) any first or second degree felony under
386386 the Penal Code;
387387 (ii) any felony under Section 15.031(b),
388388 20.05, 20.06, 21.11, 38.04, or Chapter 43, 20A, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33,
389389 33A, or 35, Penal Code;
390390 (iii) any felony under The Securities Act
391391 (Article 581-1 et seq., Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes); or
392392 (iv) any offense under Chapter 49, Penal
393393 Code, that is punishable as a felony of the third degree or state
394394 jail felony, if the defendant has been previously convicted three
395395 times of an offense under that chapter;
396396 (B) used or intended to be used in the commission
397397 of:
398398 (i) any felony under Chapter 481, Health
399399 and Safety Code (Texas Controlled Substances Act);
400400 (ii) any felony under Chapter 483, Health
401401 and Safety Code;
402402 (iii) a felony under Chapter 151, Finance
403403 Code;
404404 (iv) any felony under Chapter 34, Penal
405405 Code;
406406 (v) a Class A misdemeanor under Subchapter
407407 B, Chapter 365, Health and Safety Code, if the defendant has been
408408 previously convicted twice of an offense under that subchapter;
409409 (vi) any felony under Chapter 32, Human
410410 Resources Code, or Chapter 31, 32, 35A, or 37, Penal Code, that
411411 involves the state Medicaid program;
412412 (vii) a Class B misdemeanor under Section
413413 32.511, Penal [Chapter 522, Business & Commerce] Code;
414414 (viii) a Class A misdemeanor under Section
415415 306.051, Business & Commerce Code;
416416 (ix) any offense under Section 42.10, Penal
417417 Code;
418418 (x) any offense under Section 46.06(a)(1)
419419 or 46.14, Penal Code;
420420 (xi) any offense under Chapter 71, Penal
421421 Code;
422422 (xii) any offense under Section 20.05 or
423423 20.06, Penal Code; or
424424 (xiii) an offense under Section 326.002,
425425 Business & Commerce Code;
426426 (C) the proceeds gained from the commission of a
427427 felony listed in Paragraph (A) or (B) of this subdivision, a
428428 misdemeanor listed in Paragraph (B)(vii), (ix), (x), or (xi) of
429429 this subdivision, or a crime of violence;
430430 (D) acquired with proceeds gained from the
431431 commission of a felony listed in Paragraph (A) or (B) of this
432432 subdivision, a misdemeanor listed in Paragraph (B)(vii), (ix), (x),
433433 or (xi) of this subdivision, or a crime of violence;
434434 (E) used to facilitate or intended to be used to
435435 facilitate the commission of a felony under Section 15.031 or
436436 43.25, Penal Code; or
437437 (F) used to facilitate or intended to be used to
438438 facilitate the commission of a felony under Section 20A.02 or
439439 Chapter 43, Penal Code.
440440 SECTION 3.06. Sections 557.001 and 557.011, Government
441441 Code, are transferred to Chapter 40, Penal Code, as added by this
442442 Act, redesignated as Sections 40.01 and 40.02, Penal Code,
443443 respectively, and amended to read as follows:
444444 Sec. 40.01 [557.001]. SEDITION. (a) A person commits an
445445 offense if the person knowingly:
446446 (1) commits, attempts to commit, or conspires with one
447447 or more persons to commit an act intended to overthrow, destroy, or
448448 alter the constitutional form of government of this state or of any
449449 political subdivision of this state by force or violence;
450450 (2) under circumstances that constitute a clear and
451451 present danger to the security of this state or a political
452452 subdivision of this state, advocates, advises, or teaches or
453453 conspires with one or more persons to advocate, advise, or teach a
454454 person to commit or attempt to commit an act described in
455455 Subdivision (1); or
456456 (3) participates, with knowledge of the nature of the
457457 organization, in the management of an organization that engages in
458458 or attempts to engage in an act intended to overthrow, destroy, or
459459 alter the constitutional form of government of this state or of any
460460 political subdivision of this state by force or violence.
461461 (b) An offense under this section is a felony of the second
462462 degree [punishable by:
463463 [(1) a fine not to exceed $20,000;
464464 [(2) confinement in the Texas Department of Criminal
465465 Justice for a term of not less than one year or more than 20 years;
466466 or
467467 [(3) both fine and imprisonment].
468468 (c) A person convicted of an offense under this section may
469469 not receive community supervision under Chapter 42A, Code of
470470 Criminal Procedure.
471471 Sec. 40.02 [557.011]. SABOTAGE. (a) A person commits an
472472 offense if the person, with the intent to injure the United States,
473473 this state, or any facility or property used for national defense
474474 sabotages or attempts to sabotage any property or facility used or
475475 to be used for national defense.
476476 (b) An offense under this section is a felony of the second
477477 degree [punishable by confinement in the Texas Department of
478478 Criminal Justice for a term of not less than two years or more than
479479 20 years].
480480 (c) If conduct constituting an offense under this section
481481 also constitutes an offense under another provision of law, the
482482 actor may be prosecuted under both sections.
483483 (d) In this section, "sabotage" means to wilfully and
484484 maliciously damage or destroy property.
485485 SECTION 3.07. Section 557.002, Government Code, is amended
486486 to read as follows:
487487 Sec. 557.002. DISQUALIFICATION. A person who is finally
488488 convicted of an offense under Section 40.01, Penal Code, [557.001]
489489 may not hold office or a position of profit, trust, or employment
490490 with the state or any political subdivision of the state.
491491 SECTION 3.08. Section 3101.010(b), Government Code, is
492492 amended to read as follows:
493493 (b) An offense under this section is a misdemeanor and on
494494 conviction is punishable by[:
495495 [(1)] a fine of not less than $5 or more than $300[;
496496 [(2) confinement in the county jail for a term not to
497497 exceed three months; or
498498 [(3) both a fine and confinement].
499499 SECTION 3.09. Section 615.002(e), Local Government Code, is
500500 amended to read as follows:
501501 (e) A person commits an offense if the person violates a
502502 parking rule adopted under this section. An offense under this
503503 subsection is a Class C misdemeanor [punishable by a fine of not
504504 less than $1 nor more than $20].
505505 SECTION 3.10. Section 11.074(b), Natural Resources Code, is
506506 amended to read as follows:
507507 (b) Any owner of stock or a [his] manager, agent, employee,
508508 or servant of the owner who fences, uses, occupies, or appropriates
509509 by herding or line-riding any portion of the land covered by
510510 Subsection (a) [of this section] without a lease for the land
511511 commits an offense. An offense under this section is a Class C
512512 misdemeanor[, on conviction, shall be fined not less than $100 nor
513513 more than $1,000 and confined in the county jail for not less than
514514 three months nor more than two years]. Each day for which a
515515 violation continues constitutes a separate offense.
516516 SECTION 3.11. Section 88.134(b), Natural Resources Code, is
517517 amended to read as follows:
518518 (b) A person who violates any [other] provision of this
519519 chapter other than those covered by Subsection (a), a person who
520520 fails to comply with any of the other terms of this chapter, a
521521 person who fails to comply with the terms of a rule or order adopted
522522 by the governmental agency under the terms of this chapter, or a
523523 person who violates any of the rules or orders of the governmental
524524 agency adopted under the provisions of this chapter commits an
525525 offense. An offense under this subsection is a felony of the third
526526 degree [on conviction is considered guilty of a felony and on
527527 conviction shall be punished by imprisonment in the Texas
528528 Department of Criminal Justice for a term of not less than two nor
529529 more than four years].
530530 SECTION 3.12. Section 114.102(b), Natural Resources Code,
531531 is amended to read as follows:
532532 (b) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor
533533 [felony of the third degree].
534534 SECTION 3.13. Section 264.151(a), Occupations Code, is
535535 amended to read as follows:
536536 (a) A person commits an offense if the person violates
537537 Section 256.001. An offense under this subsection is a felony of
538538 the third degree. [Each day of a violation is a separate offense.]
539539 SECTION 3.14. Section 266.303, Occupations Code, is amended
540540 by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as
541541 follows:
542542 (b) An offense for a violation of Section 266.151 is a Class
543543 A misdemeanor, except that the offense is a felony of the third
544544 degree if it is shown on the trial of the offense that the defendant
545545 has previously been convicted of an offense for a violation of
546546 Section 266.151.
547547 (b-1) An offense for a violation of [or] Section 266.301(b)
548548 is a Class A misdemeanor, except that the offense is a felony of the
549549 third degree if it is shown on the trial of the offense that the
550550 defendant has previously been convicted of an offense for a
551551 violation of Section 266.301(b).
552552 SECTION 3.15. Section 1701.553(b), Occupations Code, is
553553 amended to read as follows:
554554 (b) An offense under Subsection (a) is a Class A misdemeanor
555555 [state jail felony].
556556 SECTION 3.16. Subchapter E, Chapter 1802, Occupations Code,
557557 is amended by adding Section 1802.2025 to read as follows:
558558 Sec. 1802.2025. FRIVOLOUS CLAIMS; CIVIL PENALTY. (a) A
559559 person may not, for personal benefit or to harm another:
560560 (1) institute a claim under this chapter in which the
561561 person knows the person has no interest; or
562562 (2) institute a frivolous suit or claim that the
563563 person knows is false.
564564 (b) A person who violates Subsection (a) is subject to a
565565 civil penalty under Section 51.352.
566566 SECTION 3.17. Section 2155.002(d), Occupations Code, is
567567 amended to read as follows:
568568 (d) An offense under Subsection (a) or (c) is a misdemeanor
569569 punishable by[:
570570 [(1)] a fine of not less than $25 or more than $100[;
571571 [(2) confinement in jail for a term not to exceed 30
572572 days; or
573573 [(3) both a fine and confinement].
574574 SECTION 3.18. Section 2156.006, Occupations Code, is
575575 amended to read as follows:
576576 Sec. 2156.006. FORFEITURE OF LEASE. A theater's lessee or a
577577 lessee's assigns forfeit the lease and any rights and privileges
578578 under the lease if the person[:
579579 [(1)] does not comply with the law governing
580580 theaters[; or
581581 [(2) is convicted of an offense under Section
582582 2156.005].
583583 SECTION 3.19. Section 32.153(a), Parks and Wildlife Code,
584584 is amended to read as follows:
585585 (a) A person commits an offense if the person violates:
586586 (1) Section 32.051;
587587 (2) [Section 32.053(b);
588588 [(3)] Section 32.056;
589589 (3) [(4) Section 32.057(d);
590590 [(5)] Section 32.101;
591591 (4) [(6)] Section 32.104;
592592 (5) [(7)] Section 32.105;
593593 (6) [(8)] Section 32.106;
594594 (7) [(9)] Section 32.107; or
595595 (8) [(10)] Section 32.108.
596596 SECTION 3.20. Section 62.013, Parks and Wildlife Code, is
597597 amended to read as follows:
598598 Sec. 62.013. PENALTIES. (a) Except as provided by
599599 Subsections (b), (b-1), and (c) of this section, a person who
600600 violates a provision of this subchapter commits an offense that is a
601601 Class C Parks and Wildlife Code misdemeanor.
602602 (b) A person who violates Section 62.003, 62.004, [62.005,]
603603 62.0065, 62.011(c), or 350.001 or a rule adopted under Section
604604 62.0065 commits an offense that is a Class A Parks and Wildlife Code
605605 misdemeanor, unless it is shown at the trial of the defendant for a
606606 violation of that section or rule, as appropriate, that the
607607 defendant has been convicted one or more times before the trial date
608608 of a violation of that section or rule, as appropriate, in which
609609 case the offense is a Parks and Wildlife Code state jail felony.
610610 (b-1) A person who violates Section 62.005 commits an
611611 offense that is a:
612612 (1) Class C Parks and Wildlife Code misdemeanor if the
613613 person commits the offense recklessly;
614614 (2) Class A Parks and Wildlife Code misdemeanor if the
615615 person intentionally or knowingly commits the offense; or
616616 (3) Parks and Wildlife Code state jail felony if it is
617617 shown at the trial of the defendant for a violation of that section
618618 that the defendant has been convicted one or more times before the
619619 trial date of a violation of that section.
620620 (c) In addition to the punishments provided in Subsections
621621 (a), [and] (b), and (b-1), a person who violates Section 62.003,
622622 62.004, 62.005, 62.0065, 62.011(c), or 350.001 or a rule adopted
623623 under Section 62.0065 is punishable by the revocation or suspension
624624 under Section 12.5015 of hunting and fishing licenses and permits.
625625 SECTION 3.21. Section 76.040, Parks and Wildlife Code, is
626626 amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to
627627 read as follows:
628628 (b) A person who violates Section 76.037 [or Section 76.038
629629 of this code] commits an offense that is a Class B Parks and
630630 Wildlife Code misdemeanor.
631631 (b-1) A person who violates Section 76.038 commits an
632632 offense that is a:
633633 (1) Class C Parks and Wildlife Code misdemeanor if the
634634 person commits the offense recklessly; or
635635 (2) Class B Parks and Wildlife Code misdemeanor if the
636636 person intentionally or knowingly commits the offense.
637637 SECTION 3.22. Section 76.118, Parks and Wildlife Code, is
638638 amended by amending Subsections (a), (b), and (c) and adding
639639 Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
640640 (a) Except as provided in Subsections (a-1), (b), and (c) of
641641 this section, a person who violates a provision of this subchapter
642642 or a regulation of the commission issued under this subchapter
643643 commits an offense that is a Class C Parks and Wildlife Code
644644 misdemeanor.
645645 (a-1) A person who violates Section 76.101 or 76.109 or a
646646 regulation of the commission issued under one of those sections
647647 commits an offense that is a:
648648 (1) Class C Parks and Wildlife Code misdemeanor if the
649649 person commits the offense recklessly; or
650650 (2) Class B Parks and Wildlife Code misdemeanor if the
651651 person intentionally or knowingly commits the offense.
652652 (b) A person who violates Section [76.101,] 76.107[, or
653653 76.109] or a regulation of the commission issued under that section
654654 [one of those sections] commits an offense that is a Class B Parks
655655 and Wildlife Code misdemeanor.
656656 (c) A person who violates Section 76.116, or at the same
657657 time violates Sections 76.109 and 76.116, commits an offense that
658658 is a:
659659 (1) Class B Parks and Wildlife Code misdemeanor if the
660660 person commits the offense recklessly; or
661661 (2) Class A Parks and Wildlife Code misdemeanor if the
662662 person intentionally or knowingly commits the offense.
663663 SECTION 3.23. Section 77.061(b), Parks and Wildlife Code,
664664 is amended to read as follows:
665665 (b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Subchapter E, Chapter
666666 12, of this code, a person who violates Subdivision (1) of
667667 Subsection (a) of this section or Section 77.024 of this code
668668 commits an offense that is a:
669669 (1) Class C Parks and Wildlife Code misdemeanor if the
670670 person commits the offense recklessly; or
671671 (2) Class B Parks and Wildlife Code misdemeanor if the
672672 person intentionally or knowingly commits the offense [and on
673673 conviction is punishable by a fine of not less than $2,500 nor more
674674 than $5,000, by confinement in the county jail for not less than six
675675 months nor more than one year, or by both].
676676 SECTION 3.24. Section 19.03(a), Penal Code, is amended to
677677 read as follows:
678678 (a) A person commits an offense if the person commits murder
679679 as defined under Section 19.02(b)(1) and:
680680 (1) the person murders a peace officer or fireman who
681681 is acting in the lawful discharge of an official duty and who the
682682 person knows is a peace officer or fireman;
683683 (2) the person intentionally commits the murder in the
684684 course of committing or attempting to commit kidnapping, burglary,
685685 robbery, aggravated sexual assault, arson, obstruction or
686686 retaliation, sabotage, or terroristic threat under Section
687687 22.07(a)(1), (3), (4), (5), or (6);
688688 (3) the person commits the murder for remuneration or
689689 the promise of remuneration or employs another to commit the murder
690690 for remuneration or the promise of remuneration;
691691 (4) the person commits the murder while escaping or
692692 attempting to escape from a penal institution;
693693 (5) the person, while incarcerated in a penal
694694 institution, murders another:
695695 (A) who is employed in the operation of the penal
696696 institution; or
697697 (B) with the intent to establish, maintain, or
698698 participate in a combination or in the profits of a combination;
699699 (6) the person:
700700 (A) while incarcerated for an offense under this
701701 section or Section 19.02, murders another; or
702702 (B) while serving a sentence of life imprisonment
703703 or a term of 99 years for an offense under Section 20.04, 22.021, or
704704 29.03, murders another;
705705 (7) the person murders more than one person:
706706 (A) during the same criminal transaction; or
707707 (B) during different criminal transactions but
708708 the murders are committed pursuant to the same scheme or course of
709709 conduct;
710710 (8) the person murders an individual under 10 years of
711711 age; or
712712 (9) the person murders another person in retaliation
713713 for or on account of the service or status of the other person as a
714714 judge or justice of the supreme court, the court of criminal
715715 appeals, a court of appeals, a district court, a criminal district
716716 court, a constitutional county court, a statutory county court, a
717717 justice court, or a municipal court.
718718 SECTION 3.25. Section 37.10(c)(2), Penal Code, is amended
719719 to read as follows:
720720 (2) An offense under this section is a felony of the
721721 third degree if it is shown on the trial of the offense that the
722722 governmental record was:
723723 (A) a public school record, report, or assessment
724724 instrument required under Chapter 39, Education Code, a public
725725 school record, form, report, or budget required under Chapter 42,
726726 Education Code, or a rule adopted under that chapter, data reported
727727 for a school district or open-enrollment charter school to the
728728 Texas Education Agency through the Public Education Information
729729 Management System (PEIMS) described by Section 42.006, Education
730730 Code, under a law or rule requiring that reporting, or a license,
731731 certificate, permit, seal, title, letter of patent, or similar
732732 document issued by government, by another state, or by the United
733733 States, unless the actor's intent is to defraud or harm another, in
734734 which event the offense is a felony of the second degree;
735735 (B) a written report of a medical, chemical,
736736 toxicological, ballistic, or other expert examination or test
737737 performed on physical evidence for the purpose of determining the
738738 connection or relevance of the evidence to a criminal action;
739739 (C) a written report of the certification,
740740 inspection, or maintenance record of an instrument, apparatus,
741741 implement, machine, or other similar device used in the course of an
742742 examination or test performed on physical evidence for the purpose
743743 of determining the connection or relevance of the evidence to a
744744 criminal action; or
745745 (D) a search warrant issued by a magistrate.
746746 SECTION 3.26. Title 8, Penal Code, is amended by adding
747747 Chapter 40, and a heading is added to that chapter to read as
748748 follows:
749749 CHAPTER 40. SEDITION AND SABOTAGE
750750 SECTION 3.27. Section 154.517, Tax Code, is amended to read
751751 as follows:
752752 Sec. 154.517. FELONY OR MISDEMEANOR. (a) An offense under
753753 Section [Sections] 154.511, 154.512, 154.514, 154.515, or
754754 [through] 154.516 is a felony of the third degree.
755755 (b) An offense under Section 154.513 is a Class A
756756 misdemeanor unless it is shown on the trial of the offense that the
757757 person has been previously convicted of an offense under that
758758 section, in which event the offense is a felony of the third degree.
759759 SECTION 3.28. Section 155.208, Tax Code, is amended to read
760760 as follows:
761761 Sec. 155.208. MISDEMEANOR. (a) An offense under Section
762762 155.202, 155.204, 155.205, 155.206, or 155.207 [Sections
763763 155.202-155.207] is a Class A misdemeanor.
764764 (b) An offense under Section 155.203 is a Class C
765765 misdemeanor unless it is shown on the trial of the offense that the
766766 person has been previously convicted of an offense under that
767767 section, in which event the offense is a Class A misdemeanor.
768768 SECTION 3.29. Section 155.213, Tax Code, is amended to read
769769 as follows:
770770 Sec. 155.213. FELONY OR MISDEMEANOR. (a) An offense under
771771 Section 155.210 or 155.212 [Sections 155.209-155.212] is a felony
772772 of the third degree.
773773 (b) An offense under Section 155.209 is a Class A
774774 misdemeanor unless it is shown on the trial of the offense that the
775775 person has been previously convicted of an offense under that
776776 section, in which event the offense is a felony of the third degree.
777777 (c) An offense under Section 155.211 is a Class A
778778 misdemeanor unless it is shown on the trial of the offense that the
779779 person has been previously convicted of an offense under that
780780 section, in which event the offense is a felony of the third degree.
781781 SECTION 3.30. Section 15.030(c), Utilities Code, is amended
782782 to read as follows:
783783 (c) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor
784784 [felony of the third degree].
785785 SECTION 3.31. Section 105.024(b), Utilities Code, is
786786 amended to read as follows:
787787 (b) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor
788788 [felony of the third degree].
789789 SECTION 3.32. The following laws are repealed:
790790 (1) Section 101.64, Alcoholic Beverage Code;
791791 (2) Sections 17.22, 17.30, 17.31, and 204.005,
792792 Business & Commerce Code;
793793 (3) Chapter 504, Business & Commerce Code;
794794 (4) the heading to Chapter 522, Business & Commerce
795795 Code;
796796 (5) Section 44.051, Education Code;
797797 (6) Sections 59.002, 89.101, 119.202, 122.251, and
798798 199.001, Finance Code;
799799 (7) the heading to Subchapter B, Chapter 557,
800800 Government Code;
801801 (8) Sections 557.012 and 557.013, Government Code;
802802 (9) Sections 52.021 and 52.022, Labor Code;
803803 (10) Sections 205.401(b), 1802.302, 1805.103,
804804 2156.004, 2156.005, and 2158.003, Occupations Code;
805805 (11) Sections 32.053(b) and 32.057(d), Parks and
806806 Wildlife Code;
807807 (12) Articles 4005a, 4006a, 4006b, 4015d, 4015e, and
808808 5196b, Revised Statutes;
809809 (13) Chapter 281 (H.B. 2680), Acts of the 73rd
810810 Legislature, Regular Session, 1993 (Article 4413(47e-1), Vernon's
811811 Texas Civil Statutes); and
812812 (14) Chapter 487 (H.B. 376), Acts of the 56th
813813 Legislature, Regular Session, 1959 (Article 9010, Vernon's Texas
814814 Civil Statutes).
815815 ARTICLE 4. TRANSITION PROVISIONS; EFFECTIVE DATE
816816 SECTION 4.01. The changes in law made by this Act apply only
817817 to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.
818818 An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is
819819 governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed,
820820 and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For
821821 purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the
822822 effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred
823823 before that date.
824824 SECTION 4.02. To the extent of any conflict, this Act
825825 prevails over another Act of the 85th Legislature, Regular Session,
826826 2017, relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in
827827 enacted codes.
828828 SECTION 4.03. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.