| |
| |
| |
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the criminal offense of disrupting a meeting or |
|
|
procession. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 42.05(a), Penal Code, is amended to read |
|
|
as follows: |
|
|
(a) A person commits an offense if, with intent to prevent |
|
|
or disrupt a lawful meeting, procession, or gathering, whether in |
|
|
person or virtual, the person [he] obstructs or interferes with the |
|
|
meeting, procession, or gathering by: |
|
|
(1) physical action; |
|
|
(2) [or] verbal utterance; or |
|
|
(3) electronic disturbance, including hacking, of any |
|
|
virtual component of the meeting, procession, or gathering. |
|
|
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 on the date 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. |
| |
| |
| |
______________________________ |
______________________________ |
| |
President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
| |
| |
|
|
I certify that H.B. No. 5238 was passed by the House on May 2, |
|
|
2025, by the following vote: Yeas 134, Nays 1, 1 present, not |
|
|
voting. |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Chief Clerk of the House |
| |
| |
|
|
I certify that H.B. No. 5238 was passed by the Senate on May |
|
|
16, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Secretary of the Senate |
|
|
APPROVED: _____________________ |
|
|
Date |
|
|
|
|
|
_____________________ |
|
|
Governor |