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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to increasing the criminal penalty for assault of an |
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educator or health care professional. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 22.01(b), Penal Code, is amended to read |
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as follows: |
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(b) An offense under Subsection (a)(1) is a Class A |
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misdemeanor, except that the offense is a felony of the third degree |
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if the offense is committed against: |
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(1) a person the actor knows is a public servant while |
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the public servant is lawfully discharging an official duty, or in |
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retaliation or on account of an exercise of official power or |
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performance of an official duty as a public servant; |
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(2) a person whose relationship to or association with |
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the defendant is described by Section 71.0021(b), 71.003, or |
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71.005, Family Code, if: |
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(A) it is shown on the trial of the offense that |
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the defendant has been previously convicted of an offense under |
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this chapter, Chapter 19, or Section 20.03, 20.04, 21.11, or 25.11 |
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against a person whose relationship to or association with the |
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defendant is described by Section 71.0021(b), 71.003, or 71.005, |
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Family Code; or |
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(B) the offense is committed by intentionally, |
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knowingly, or recklessly impeding the normal breathing or |
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circulation of the blood of the person by applying pressure to the |
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person's throat or neck or by blocking the person's nose or mouth; |
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(3) a person who contracts with government to perform |
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a service in a facility as defined by Section 1.07(a)(14), Penal |
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Code, or Section 51.02(13) or (14), Family Code, or an employee of |
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that person: |
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(A) while the person or employee is engaged in |
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performing a service within the scope of the contract, if the actor |
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knows the person or employee is authorized by government to provide |
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the service; or |
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(B) in retaliation for or on account of the |
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person's or employee's performance of a service within the scope of |
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the contract; |
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(4) a person the actor knows is a security officer |
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while the officer is performing a duty as a security officer; |
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(5) a person the actor knows is emergency services |
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personnel while the person is providing emergency services; |
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(6) a person the actor knows is a process server while |
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the person is performing a duty as a process server; |
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(7) a pregnant individual to force the individual to |
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have an abortion; [or] |
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(8) a person the actor knows is pregnant at the time of |
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the offense; |
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(9) a person the actor knows is an educator while the |
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person is performing a duty as an educator; or |
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(10) a person the actor knows is a health care |
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professional while the person is performing a duty as a health care |
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professional. |
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SECTION 2. Section 22.01(e), Penal Code, is amended by |
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amending Subdivision (1) and adding Subdivisions (1-a) and (1-b) to |
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read as follows: |
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(1) "Educator" means a person who is required to hold a |
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certificate issued under Subchapter B, Chapter 21, Education Code, |
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or who would be required to hold that certificate if the person were |
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employed by a school district. |
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(1-a) "Emergency services personnel" includes |
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firefighters, emergency medical services personnel as defined by |
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Section 773.003, Health and Safety Code, emergency |
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room personnel, and other individuals who, in the course and scope |
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of employment or as a volunteer, provide services for the benefit of |
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the general public during emergency situations. |
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(1-b) "Health care professional" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 247.067, Health and Safety Code. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, |
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and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |