| TO: | Honorable John Whitmire, Chair, Senate Committee on Criminal Justice |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB120 by Zaffirini (Relating to the prevention and prosecution of and education concerning the offense of online solicitation of a minor.), As Introduced |
The bill would require the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) to link it’s website to educational materials designed to prevent the sexual solicitation of a child through the Internet. The material may be prepared by the OAG, another state agency, or a private entity. The bill provides that the education materials shall be age and content appropriate for school use. In addition, penalties are enhanced for violations of certain provisions of the Penal Code relating to online solicitation of a minor. The proposed legislation provides for increased criminal penalties for offenses committed under Texas Penal Code Section 33.021. The penalty is increased from a third degree felony to a second degree felony in offenses where the actor solicits a child to meet. It also increases the penalty to solicit a child under the age of 14-years-old from a second degree felony to a first degree felony.
Currently, the OAG’s website has on-line information and videos as required by the bill. Although minor adjustments will have to be made to some materials, the OAG anticipates any additional work resulting from the passage of this bill could be reasonably absorbed with current resources.
| Source Agencies: | 302 Office of the Attorney General, 696 Department of Criminal Justice, 701 Central Education Agency
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, ES, JM
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