Bill > HB1215

This bill modifies several sections of Texas law related to sexual offenses involving children, primarily changing the definition of "child" from under 17 years old to under 18 years old across multiple legal statutes. Specifically, the bill updates the Penal Code sections on indecency with a child and sexual assault to expand the age of protection from minors under 17 to minors under 18. This change affects legal provisions around sexual contact with minors, including restrictions on exposing genitals to a child and causing a child to expose themselves. The bill also adjusts related legal provisions concerning community supervision and parole conditions for offenders, such as establishing child safety zones that restrict offenders' interactions with and proximity to children. These changes would apply only to offenses committed on or after the bill's effective date of September 1, 2025, meaning previous offenses would be governed by the existing law at the time they were committed. The primary intent appears to be providing broader legal protection for minors by extending the age of protection from 17 to 18 years old.

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https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB1215