Bill Text: TX HB1513 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced

Texas House Bill 1513 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Relating to a criminal offense committed against a person because of bias or prejudice on the basis of gender identity or expression.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 5)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-04-29 - Left pending in committee [HB1513 Detail]

Download: Texas-2019-HB1513-Introduced.html

	86R499 KJE-D

	By: Coleman	H.B. No. 1513



	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to a criminal offense committed against a person because
	of bias or prejudice on the basis of gender identity or expression.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1. Articles 42.014(a) and (c), Code of Criminal
	Procedure, are amended to read as follows:
	(a) In the trial of an offense under Title 5, Penal Code, or
	Section 28.02, 28.03, or 28.08, Penal Code, the judge shall make an
	affirmative finding of fact and enter the affirmative finding in
	the judgment of the case if at the guilt or innocence phase of the
	trial, the judge or the jury, whichever is the trier of fact,
	determines beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant
	intentionally selected the person against whom the offense was
	committed, or intentionally selected the person's property that was
	damaged or affected as a result of the offense, because of the
	defendant's bias or prejudice against a group identified by race,
	color, disability, religion, national origin or ancestry, age,
	gender, [or] sexual preference, or gender identity or expression or
	by status as a peace officer or judge.
	(c) In this article:
	(1) "Gender identity or expression" means having or
	being perceived as having a gender-related identity, appearance,
	expression, or behavior, regardless of whether that identity,
	appearance, expression, or behavior is different from that commonly
	associated with the person's actual or perceived sex.
	(2) "Sexual [~~, "sexual~~] preference" has the following
	meaning only: a preference for heterosexuality, homosexuality, or
	bisexuality.
	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, 2019.