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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to increasing the criminal penalties for forgery. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 32.21(c), (d), (e), (e-1), and (e-2), |
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Penal Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(c) Except as provided by Subsections (d), (e), and (e-1), |
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an offense under this section is a state jail felony [Class A |
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misdemeanor]. |
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(d) Subject to Subsection (e-1), an offense under this |
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section is a [state jail] felony of the third degree if the writing |
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is or purports to be a will, codicil, deed, deed of trust, mortgage, |
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security instrument, security agreement, credit card, check, |
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authorization to debit an account at a financial institution, or |
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similar sight order for payment of money, contract, release, or |
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other commercial instrument. |
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(e) Subject to Subsection (e-1), an offense under this |
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section is a felony of the second [third] degree if the writing is |
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or purports to be: |
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(1) part of an issue of money, securities, postage or |
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revenue stamps; |
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(2) a government record listed in Section 37.01(2)(C); |
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or |
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(3) other instruments issued by a state or national |
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government or by a subdivision of either, or part of an issue of |
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stock, bonds, or other instruments representing interests in or |
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claims against another person. |
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(e-1) If it is shown on the trial of an offense under this |
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section that the actor engaged in the conduct to obtain or attempt |
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to obtain a property or service, an offense under this section is: |
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(1) a Class B [C] misdemeanor if the value of the |
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property or service is less than $100; |
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(2) a Class A [B] misdemeanor if the value of the |
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property or service is $100 or more but less than $750; |
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(3) a state jail felony [Class A misdemeanor] if the |
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value of the property or service is $750 or more but less than |
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$2,500; |
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(4) a [state jail] felony of the third degree if the |
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value of the property or service is $2,500 or more but less than |
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$30,000; |
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(5) a felony of the second [third] degree if the value |
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of the property or service is $30,000 or more but less than |
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$150,000; and |
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(6) a felony of the first [second] degree if the value |
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of the property or service is $150,000 or more [but less than |
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$300,000; and |
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[(7) a felony of the first degree if the value of the |
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property or service is $300,000 or more]. |
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(e-2) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, |
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an offense under this section, other than an offense described for |
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purposes of punishment by Subsection (e-1)(6) [(e-1)(7)], is |
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increased to the next higher category of offense if it is shown on |
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the trial of the offense that the offense was committed against an |
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elderly individual as defined by Section 22.04. |
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SECTION 2. 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. For |
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purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the |
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effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred |
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before that date. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |