By: Shaheen H.B. No. 2419
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to increasing the criminal penalty for certain offenses
  committed during a riot.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 12, Penal Code, is amended
  by adding Section 12.501 to read as follows:
         Sec. 12.501.  PENALTY IF OFFENSE COMMITTED DURING A RIOT.
  (a) In this section, "riot" has the meaning assigned by Section
  42.02.
         (b)  Subject to Subsections (d) and (e), the punishment for
  an offense listed under Subsection (c) is increased to the
  punishment prescribed for the next higher category of offense if it
  is shown on the trial of the offense that at the time of the offense
  the actor was participating in a riot.
         (c)  The increase in punishment authorized by this section
  applies only to an offense under:
               (1)  Section 22.01;
               (2)  Section 28.02;
               (3)  Section 28.03;
               (4)  Section 29.02;
               (5)  Section 30.02;
               (6)  Section 30.03;
               (7)  Section 30.04;
               (8)  Section 30.05; and
               (9)  Section 31.03.
         (d)  If an offense listed under Subsection (c) is punishable
  as a Class A misdemeanor, the minimum term of confinement for the
  offense is increased to 180 days.
         (e)  If an offense listed under Subsection (c) is punishable
  as a felony of the first degree, the punishment of that offense may
  not be increased under this section.
         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, 2021.