The Texas legislature created the first Texas Computer Crimes effective September 1, 1985. These offenses have been rewritten by the legislature several times since they were first created. The most recent revision was effective September 1, 1994. Although the laws as they currently exist still protect against the same conduct, they are considerably different from the laws that were enacted in 1985. This law makes it a crime to knowingly access another person's computer without the 'effective consent of the owner'.
Permission is defined by the phrase 'effective consent' .
Access is always without 'effective consent' if it is without the knowledge of the owner of the computer. Consent is also not 'effective', however, if it is obtained by deception or coercion. In a nutshell, it is a crime in Texas to use someone else computer, without proper consent of the computer's owner. It is important to note that an individual does not have to damage or change anything in order to be guilty of a crime. While this may have been the case prior to the enactment of these laws, it not the case now.