89R18048 MZM-F
By: Lopez of Bexar H.B. No. 5238
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the criminal offense of disrupting a meeting or
procession.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 42.05(a), Penal Code, is amended to read
as follows:
(a) A person commits an offense if, with intent to prevent
or disrupt a lawful meeting, procession, or gathering, whether in
person or virtual, the person [he] obstructs or interferes with the
meeting, procession, or gathering by:
(1) physical action;
(2) [or] verbal utterance; or
(3) electronic disturbance, including hacking, of any
virtual component of the meeting, procession, or gathering.
SECTION 2. 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 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.