By: Landgraf, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Perry) H.B. No. 888
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 3, 2019;
May 6, 2019, read first time and referred to Committee on State
Affairs; May 15, 2019, reported adversely, with favorable
Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0;
May 15, 2019, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 888 By: Zaffirini
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to creating the criminal offense of misrepresenting a
child as a family member at a port of entry.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 37, Penal Code, is amended by adding
Section 37.082 to read as follows:
Sec. 37.082. MISREPRESENTING CHILD AS FAMILY MEMBER AT PORT
OF ENTRY. (a) In this section:
(1) "Child" means a person younger than 18 years of
age.
(2) "Family member" means a person who is related to
another person by consanguinity or affinity.
(3) "Port of entry" means a place designated by
executive order of the president of the United States, by order of
the United States secretary of the treasury, or by act of the United
States Congress at which a customs officer is authorized to enforce
customs laws.
(b) A person commits an offense if the person, with intent
to commit an offense under Section 20A.02, knowingly misrepresents
a child as a family member of the person to a peace officer or
federal special investigator at a port of entry.
(c) An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor.
(d) If conduct that constitutes an offense under this
section also constitutes an offense under another law, the actor
may be prosecuted under this section, the other law, or both.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
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