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Senate Bill 576 |
Senate Author: Hinojosa et al. |
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Effective: 9-1-21 |
House Sponsor: Lozano |
Senate Bill 576 amends the Penal Code to revise provisions relating to the prosecution and punishment of the offense of smuggling of persons. The bill removes as a condition necessary for conduct to constitute the offense that the actor engaged in the conduct with the intent to obtain a pecuniary benefit and instead enhances the penalty for the offense from a third degree felony to a second degree felony if the offense was committed with that intent. The bill expands the conduct constituting the offense to include a person knowingly assisting, guiding, or directing two or more individuals to enter or remain on agricultural land without the owner's effective consent and further enhances the punishment for the offense to a second degree felony if the actor, another party to the offense, or an individual assisted, guided, or directed by the actor knowingly possessed a firearm during the commission of the offense or the actor engages in behavior constituting the offense involving the use of a means of conveyance to transport an individual with the intent to flee from a person the actor knows is a peace officer or special investigator attempting to lawfully arrest or detain the actor.