Bill > HB5379

This bill modifies Texas law related to intoxication offenses by increasing punishments and creating a new criminal offense of continuous driving while intoxicated. Specifically, the bill adds provisions that elevate certain intoxication-related offenses to higher felony degrees when a person has previous convictions, such as making driving while intoxicated (DWI) a second-degree felony if the offender has prior convictions for similar offenses. The bill introduces a new criminal offense of "continuous driving while intoxicated," which occurs when a person commits two or more DWI offenses within a 12-month period. Under this new provision, if a jury finds that the defendant engaged in multiple instances of driving while intoxicated during this timeframe, they can convict the person of a third-degree felony, without needing to agree on the exact dates or locations of each offense. The bill also clarifies that these enhanced penalties and new offenses will only apply to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025, with previous offenses continuing to be governed by the law in effect at the time they were committed.

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https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB5379