Bill Text: TX HB133 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Comm Sub

Texas House Bill 133

Bill Title: Relating to creating the criminal offenses of transnational repression and unauthorized enforcement of foreign law and to a study and law enforcement training regarding transnational repression.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 14)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2025-05-08 - Laid on the table subject to call [HB133 Detail]

Download: Texas-2025-HB133-Comm_Sub.html

	89R20184 MZM-D

	By: Lopez of Cameron, Bonnen, Hefner,	H.B. No. 133
	Guillen, et al.

	Substitute the following for H.B. No. 133:

	By: Hefner	C.S.H.B. No. 133



	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to creating the criminal offenses of transnational
	repression and unauthorized enforcement of foreign law and to a
	study and law enforcement training regarding transnational
	repression.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1. Chapter 76, Penal Code, is amended by adding
	Sections 76.045 and 76.046 to read as follows:
	Sec. 76.045. TRANSNATIONAL REPRESSION. (a) In this
	section:
	(1) "Agent of a foreign government or foreign
	terrorist organization" means a person acting on behalf of or
	otherwise employed or controlled by a foreign government or foreign
	terrorist organization.
	(2) "Foreign terrorist organization" has the meaning
	assigned by Section 71.01.
	(3) "Protected conduct" means any speech or expressive
	conduct protected by the First Amendment to the United States
	Constitution or by Section 8, Article I, Texas Constitution.
	(b) A person commits an offense if:
	(1) the person commits or conspires to commit an
	offense under:
	(A) Section 20A.02;
	(B) Section 22.01;
	(C) Section 22.02;
	(D) Section 42.07;
	(E) Section 42.072; or
	(F) Section 43.05;
	(2) the person commits or conspires to commit an
	offense described by Subdivision (1) with the intent to:
	(A) cause another person to act on behalf of a
	foreign government or a foreign terrorist organization;
	(B) cause another person to leave or be confined
	in the United States;
	(C) discourage another person from engaging in
	protected conduct; or
	(D) retaliate against another person for
	engaging in protected conduct; and
	(3) the person commits or conspires to commit that
	offense as an agent of a foreign government or foreign terrorist
	organization.
	(c) An offense under this section is one category higher
	than the most serious offense listed in Subsection (b)(1) that was
	committed or conspired to be committed, except that if the most
	serious offense is a felony of the first degree, the offense under
	this section is a felony of the first degree with a minimum term of
	confinement of 15 years.
	Sec. 76.046. UNAUTHORIZED ENFORCEMENT OF FOREIGN LAW. (a)
	In this section, "agent of a foreign government or foreign
	terrorist organization" has the meaning assigned by Section 76.045.
	(b) A person commits an offense if, as an agent of a foreign
	government or foreign terrorist organization, the person, without
	the approval of this state or the United States:
	(1) prevents another person in this state from
	violating the laws of a foreign government; or
	(2) detects, investigates, monitors, or surveilles
	another person in this state for the purpose of preventing the other
	person from violating the laws of a foreign government.
	(c) An offense under this section is a felony of the second
	degree.
	SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 411, Government Code, is
	amended by adding Section 411.02098 to read as follows:
	Sec. 411.02098. TRANSNATIONAL REPRESSION TRAINING PROGRAM.
	(a) In this section:
	(1) "Agent of a foreign government or foreign
	terrorist organization" and "agent" mean a person acting on behalf
	of or otherwise employed or controlled by a foreign government or
	foreign terrorist organization.
	(2) "Foreign terrorist organization" has the meaning
	assigned by Section 71.01, Penal Code.
	(3) "Peace officer" means an individual described by
	Article 2A.001, Code of Criminal Procedure.
	(4) "Transnational repression" means conduct
	described by Section 76.045(b), Penal Code.
	(b) The department shall develop a training program for
	peace officers regarding transnational repression. The training
	program must:
	(1) prepare peace officers to:
	(A) identify transnational repression;
	(B) develop practices for preventing, reporting,
	and responding to transnational repression; and
	(C) recognize communities targeted by
	transnational repression and misinformation that may be
	perpetuated by an agent of a foreign government or foreign
	terrorist organization; and
	(2) include information about foreign governments and
	foreign terrorist organizations that are frequently involved in
	transnational repression and the methods those governments and
	organizations use.
	(c) The department shall regularly update the training
	under Subsection (b) to address emerging threats and new
	transnational repression methods used by agents of a foreign
	government or foreign terrorist organization.
	SECTION 3. (a) The Department of Public Safety of the State
	of Texas, in collaboration with the office of the governor, shall
	conduct a study on the threat of transnational repression, as that
	conduct is described by Section 76.045(b), Penal Code, as added by
	this Act. Not later than March 1, 2026, the Department of Public
	Safety shall prepare and submit to each member of the legislature a
	report on the conclusions of the study and any recommendations for
	legislative or other action to reduce the threat of transnational
	repression.
	(b) This section expires April 1, 2026.
	SECTION 4. Not later than April 1, 2026, the Department of
	Public Safety shall develop the training required by Section
	411.02098, Government Code, as added by this Act.
	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.