Bill > HB1422

This bill introduces several significant changes to Texas law regarding sexual offenses, with a focus on victim rights and criminal penalties. The bill creates a new criminal offense called "Continuous Sexual Abuse" (Section 21.03), which applies when a person aged 17 or older commits two or more acts of sexual abuse against two or more victims over a period of 30 or more days. This new offense is classified as a first-degree felony. The bill expands the definition of sexual abuse to include various sexual crimes, and allows juries flexibility in determining the specific acts and dates of abuse. The legislation also modifies several existing laws to include this new offense, adding it to lists of offenses that affect parole eligibility, sentencing enhancements, and other legal consequences. Additionally, the bill introduces provisions to help sexual assault survivors by creating a process for forensic DNA testing of evidence collection kits without requiring an immediate police report, giving survivors more control over their evidence and potential future investigation. The bill increases some criminal penalties, such as lowering the age threshold for enhanced sentencing in aggravated sexual assault cases, and makes various technical amendments to existing criminal statutes to incorporate the new continuous sexual abuse offense. The changes are set to take effect on September 1, 2025, with specific provisions for how the law will be applied to offenses and evidence collected before and after that date.

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https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB1422