2023 Texas Statutes › Penal Code › Title 5 - Offenses Against the Person › Chapter 22 - Assaultive Offenses › Section 22.11. Harassment by Persons in Certain Facilities; Harassment of Public Servant

Sec. 22.11.  HARASSMENT BY PERSONS IN CERTAIN FACILITIES; HARASSMENT OF PUBLIC SERVANT.  (a)  A person commits an offense if, with the intent to assault, harass, or alarm, the person:
(1)  while imprisoned or confined in a correctional or detention facility, causes another person to contact the blood, seminal fluid, vaginal fluid, saliva, urine, or feces of the actor, any other person, or an animal;
(2)  while committed to a civil commitment facility, causes:
(A)  an officer or employee of the Texas Civil Commitment Office to contact the blood, seminal fluid, vaginal fluid, saliva, urine, or feces of the actor, any other person, or an animal:
(i)  while the officer or employee is lawfully discharging an official duty at a civil commitment facility; or
(ii)  in retaliation for or on account of an exercise of official power or performance of an official duty by the officer or employee; or
(B)  a person who contracts with the state to perform a service in the facility or an employee of that person to contact the blood, seminal fluid, vaginal fluid, saliva, urine, or feces of the actor, any other person, or an animal:
(i)  while the person or employee is engaged in performing a service within the scope of the contract, if the actor knows the person or employee is authorized by the state to provide the service; or
(ii)  in retaliation for or on account of the person's or employee's performance of a service within the scope of the contract; or
(3)  causes another person the actor knows to be a public servant to contact the blood, seminal fluid, vaginal fluid, saliva, urine, or feces of the actor, any other person, or an animal while the public servant is lawfully discharging an official duty or in retaliation or on account of an exercise of the public servant's official power or performance of an official duty.
(b)  An offense under this section is a felony of the third degree.
(c)  If conduct constituting an offense under this section also constitutes an offense under another section of this code, the actor may be prosecuted under either section.
(d)  In this section, "correctional or detention facility" means:
(1)  a secure correctional facility; or
(2)  a "secure correctional facility" or a "secure detention facility" as defined by Section 51.02, Family Code, operated by or under contract with a juvenile board or the Texas Juvenile Justice Department or any other facility operated by or under contract with that department.
(e)  For purposes of Subsection (a)(3), the actor is presumed to have known the person was a public servant if the person was wearing a distinctive uniform or badge indicating the person's employment as a public servant.
Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 335, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.  Amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 878, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003;  Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1006, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Amended by:
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 543 (H.B. 1095), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2005.
Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 734 (H.B. 1549), Sec. 142, eff. September 1, 2015.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 34 (S.B. 1576), Sec. 28, eff. September 1, 2017.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 34 (S.B. 1576), Sec. 29, eff. September 1, 2017.