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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to increasing the criminal penalty for participating in a |
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riot while wearing a mask or other face covering. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 42.02(f), Penal Code, is amended to read |
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as follows: |
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(f) An offense under this section is: |
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(1) an offense of the same classification as any |
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offense of a higher grade committed by anyone engaged in the riot if |
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the offense was: |
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(A) [(1)] in the furtherance of the purpose of |
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the assembly; or |
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(B) [(2)] an offense which should have been |
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anticipated as a result of the assembly; or |
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(2) a Class A misdemeanor if it is shown on the trial |
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of the offense that at the time of the offense the actor was wearing |
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a mask or other face covering with the intent to conceal the actor's |
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identity. |
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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. |