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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to enhancing the criminal penalties for burglary of a |
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place of worship. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 30.02, Penal Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (c) and (c-2) and adding Subsection (e) to |
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read as follows: |
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(c) Except as provided in Subsection (c-1), (c-2), [or] (d), |
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or (e), an offense under this section is a: |
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(1) state jail felony if committed in a building other |
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than a habitation or a place of worship; or |
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(2) felony of the second degree if committed in a |
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habitation or a place of worship. |
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(c-2) An offense under this section is a felony of the third |
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degree if: |
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(1) the premises are a building other than a |
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habitation or a place of worship; and |
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(2) it is shown on the trial of the offense that the |
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actor committed the offense in the course of committing an offense |
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under Section 20.05(a)(2). |
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(e) An offense under this section is a felony of the first |
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degree if: |
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(1) the premises are a place of worship; and |
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(2) any party to the offense entered the place of |
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worship with intent to commit a felony other than felony theft or |
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committed or attempted to commit a felony other than felony theft. |
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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. |