88R11083 MZM-D
By: Martinez Fischer H.B. No. 4124
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the prosecution of the offenses of terroristic threat
and unlawful possession of a firearm; creating a criminal offense.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 22.07, Penal Code, is amended by adding
Subsections (a-1) and (e-1) to read as follows:
(a-1) A person commits an offense if the person knowingly
sends a written message, including a text message, e-mail, social
media post, or other similar communication, to another:
(1) in which the actor threatens to cause bodily
injury to another person, including a threat to commit a mass
shooting or other act of terrorism; and
(2) that would cause a reasonable person to fear that
the actor might cause bodily injury to another.
(e-1) An offense under Subsection (a-1) is a Class A
misdemeanor.
SECTION 2. Section 46.04(b), Penal Code, is amended to read
as follows:
(b) A person who has been convicted of an offense under
Section 22.01, punishable as a Class A misdemeanor and involving a
member of the person's family or household, or an offense under
Section 22.07(a-1), commits an offense if the person possesses a
firearm before the fifth anniversary of the later of:
(1) the date of the person's release from confinement
following conviction of an offense described by this subsection
[the misdemeanor]; or
(2) the date of the person's release from community
supervision following conviction of an offense described by this
subsection [the misdemeanor].
SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.
An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is
governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed,
and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For
purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the
effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred
before that date.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.