| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the use of a social media platform in furtherance of an |
|
|
offense involving the delivery of a controlled substance; |
|
|
increasing criminal penalties. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 481, Health and Safety |
|
|
Code, is amended by adding Section 481.142 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 481.142. USE OF SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM FOR DELIVERY OF |
|
|
CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE. (a) "Social media platform" has the meaning |
|
|
assigned by Section 120.001, Business & Commerce Code. |
|
|
(b) If it is shown on the trial of an offense under Section |
|
|
481.112, 481.1121, 481.1123, 481.113, 481.114, 481.119, 481.120, |
|
|
or 481.122, involving the delivery of a controlled substance that |
|
|
the defendant used a social media platform in furtherance of the |
|
|
offense, the punishment for the offense is increased to the |
|
|
punishment prescribed by the next higher category of offense, |
|
|
except that the punishment for a felony of the first degree is |
|
|
increased by five years and the maximum fine for the offense is |
|
|
doubled. |
|
|
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 at the time 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. |