BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1980

By: Hall

Criminal Jurisprudence

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

According to the FBI, law enforcement agencies nationwide reported that 79,091 officers were assaulted in 2023, marking the highest officer assault rate in the past 10 years. The bill sponsor has informed the committee that specifically, assaults and interference with law enforcement officers and other emergency responders have become more prevalent, jeopardizing public safety and undermining the integrity of vital public services. S.B. 1980 seeks to deter such crimes and ensure safer working conditions for certain public servants by increasing the penalty for certain assaults against public servants and expanding the conduct that constitutes interference with public duties.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill expressly does one or more of the following: creates a criminal offense, increases the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or changes the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 1980 amends the Penal Code to enhance the penalty for assault involving an actor who intentionally or knowingly threatens another with imminent bodily injury, including the person's spouse, or causes physical contact with another when the person knows or should reasonably believe that the other will regard the contact as offensive or provocative from a Class C misdemeanor to a Class B misdemeanor if the offense is committed against a person the actor knows is any of the following:

· a peace officer, a community supervision and corrections department officer, or a parole officer while the officer is performing a duty or exercising an authority imposed or granted by law; or

· an emergency services personnel while the person is providing emergency services.

For purposes of enhancing the penalty for assault, the bill establishes that the actor is presumed to have known the person assaulted was a peace officer, a community supervision and corrections department officer, or a parole officer if the person was wearing a distinctive uniform or badge indicating the person's employment as such.

S.B. 1980 expands the conduct that constitutes interference with public duties to include interrupting, disrupting, impeding, or otherwise interfering with criminal negligence with a community supervision and corrections department officer or a parole officer while the officer is performing a duty or exercising authority imposed or granted by law. The bill establishes that, in a prosecution for the offense, there is a rebuttable presumption that the actor interferes with a community supervision and corrections department officer or parole officer if it is shown on the trial of the offense that the actor intentionally disseminated the home address, home telephone number, emergency contact information, or social security number of the officer or a family member of the officer or any other information exempted from required disclosure under applicable state public information law.

S.B. 1980 applies only to an offense committed on or after the bill's effective date. An offense committed before the bill's effective date 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.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.