TITLE: Relating to increasing the criminal penalty for continuous sexual abuse of a child who is younger than 14 years of age.

SUMMARY: Relating to increasing the criminal penalty for continuous sexual abuse of a child who is younger than 14 years of age.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to increasing the criminal penalty for continuous sexual abuse of a child who is younger than 14 years of age. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 21.02, Penal Code, is amended by amending Subsection (h) and adding Subsection (i) to read as follows: (h) Except as provided by Subsection (i), an [An] offense under this section is a felony of the first degree, punishable by imprisonment in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for life, or for any term of not more than 99 years or less than 25 years. (i) An offense under this section is a felony of the first degree punishable by imprisonment in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for life without parole if at least one act of sexual abuse was committed against a victim who is younger than 14 years of age as described by Subsection (b)(2)(A). If the jury is the trier of fact, members of the jury must agree unanimously that the defendant committed an act of sexual abuse against a victim who is younger than 14 years of age as described by Subsection (b)(2)(A). SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred before that date. SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.