Bill > HB2666

This bill modifies the Texas Penal Code by updating the sentencing guidelines for arson offenses, specifically elevating the offense to a first-degree felony when the property targeted is a government building, in addition to the existing provisions for causing bodily injury/death or targeting a habitation or place of assembly or worship. Under current law, arson is typically a second-degree felony, but the bill changes the classification to a first-degree felony if the arson involves a government building. The bill will apply only to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025, meaning that offenses committed before this date will be governed by the previous legal standards. First-degree felonies generally carry more severe criminal penalties than second-degree felonies, reflecting the legislature's intent to provide stronger legal protection for government buildings and potentially deterring such criminal acts.

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https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB2666