| 1 | 1 | | 89R9720 MZM-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Holt H.B. No. 2734 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to public assistance program fraud; creating a criminal |
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| 10 | 10 | | offense. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. The heading to Section 32.32, Penal Code, is |
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| 13 | 13 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | Sec. 32.32. FALSE STATEMENT TO OBTAIN PROPERTY, [OR] |
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| 15 | 15 | | CREDIT, OR PUBLIC ASSISTANCE PROGRAM BENEFIT OR IN THE PROVISION OF |
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| 16 | 16 | | CERTAIN SERVICES. |
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| 17 | 17 | | SECTION 2. Section 32.32, Penal Code, is amended by |
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| 18 | 18 | | amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsection (b-2) to |
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| 19 | 19 | | read as follows: |
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| 20 | 20 | | (a) For purposes of this section: |
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| 21 | 21 | | (1) "Credit" [, "credit"] includes: |
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| 22 | 22 | | (A) [(1)] a loan of money; |
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| 23 | 23 | | (B) [(2)] furnishing property or service on |
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| 24 | 24 | | credit; |
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| 25 | 25 | | (C) [(3)] extending the due date of an |
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| 26 | 26 | | obligation; |
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| 27 | 27 | | (D) [(4)] comaking, endorsing, or guaranteeing a |
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| 28 | 28 | | note or other instrument for obtaining credit; |
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| 29 | 29 | | (E) [(5)] a line or letter of credit; |
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| 30 | 30 | | (F) [(6)] a credit card, as defined in Section |
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| 31 | 31 | | 32.31 (Credit Card or Debit Card Abuse); and |
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| 32 | 32 | | (G) [(7)] a mortgage loan. |
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| 33 | 33 | | (2) "Public assistance program" includes: |
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| 34 | 34 | | (A) the child health plan program under Chapter |
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| 35 | 35 | | 62, Health and Safety Code; |
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| 36 | 36 | | (B) the financial assistance program under |
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| 37 | 37 | | Chapter 31, Human Resources Code; |
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| 38 | 38 | | (C) the medical assistance program established |
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| 39 | 39 | | under Chapter 32, Human Resources Code; and |
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| 40 | 40 | | (D) the nutritional assistance programs under |
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| 41 | 41 | | Chapter 33, Human Resources Code, including the supplemental |
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| 42 | 42 | | nutrition assistance program under that chapter. |
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| 43 | 43 | | (b-2) A person commits an offense if the person |
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| 44 | 44 | | intentionally or knowingly makes a materially false or misleading |
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| 45 | 45 | | written statement in an application to obtain a benefit under a |
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| 46 | 46 | | public assistance program. |
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| 47 | 47 | | (c) An offense under this section is: |
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| 48 | 48 | | (1) a Class C misdemeanor if the value of the property |
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| 49 | 49 | | or benefit or the amount of credit is less than $100; |
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| 50 | 50 | | (2) a Class B misdemeanor if the value of the property |
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| 51 | 51 | | or benefit or the amount of credit is $100 or more but less than |
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| 52 | 52 | | $750; |
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| 53 | 53 | | (3) a Class A misdemeanor if the value of the property |
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| 54 | 54 | | or benefit or the amount of credit is $750 or more but less than |
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| 55 | 55 | | $2,500; |
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| 56 | 56 | | (4) a state jail felony if the value of the property or |
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| 57 | 57 | | benefit or the amount of credit is $2,500 or more but less than |
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| 58 | 58 | | $30,000; |
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| 59 | 59 | | (5) a felony of the third degree if the value of the |
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| 60 | 60 | | property or benefit or the amount of credit is $30,000 or more but |
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| 61 | 61 | | less than $150,000; |
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| 62 | 62 | | (6) a felony of the second degree if the value of the |
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| 63 | 63 | | property or benefit or the amount of credit is $150,000 or more but |
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| 64 | 64 | | less than $300,000; or |
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| 65 | 65 | | (7) a felony of the first degree if the value of the |
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| 66 | 66 | | property or benefit or the amount of credit is $300,000 or more. |
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| 67 | 67 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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