Bill > HB1717

This bill amends several sections of the Texas Penal Code related to child pornography offenses, specifically updating definitions and expanding the scope of prosecutable visual material involving minors. The bill introduces a new definition of "indistinguishable," which means a visual depiction that an ordinary person would conclude is of an actual minor engaged in a prohibited sexual act. The legislation broadens the criteria for prosecuting visual material by allowing charges not only when a specific child is recognizable, but also when an image is so similar to a real minor that it appears to be an actual child, even if it was created using artificial intelligence or computer technology. This change means that computer-generated or AI-created images that are virtually identical to real minors can now be considered illegal, even if no actual child was used in their creation. The bill applies these changes to multiple sections of the Penal Code dealing with sexual offenses involving minors, and the new provisions will take effect on September 1, 2025, with the law only applying to offenses committed on or after that date.

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https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB1717