Bill Text: TX SB2305 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to creating a criminal offense for interfering with a motor fuel metering device or motor fuel unattended payment terminal and the prosecution of organized criminal activity involving that conduct.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-22 - Referred to Criminal Justice [SB2305 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-SB2305-Introduced.html
  88R10437 MZM-F
 
  By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 2305
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to creating a criminal offense for interfering with a
  motor fuel metering device or motor fuel unattended payment
  terminal and the prosecution of organized criminal activity
  involving that conduct.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 16, Penal Code, is amended by adding
  Section 16.021 to read as follows:
         Sec. 16.021.  INTERFERENCE WITH MOTOR FUEL METERING DEVICE
  OR MOTOR FUEL UNATTENDED PAYMENT TERMINAL. (a)  In this section:
               (1)  "Motor fuel manipulation device" means a mechanism
  manufactured, assembled, or adapted to manipulate or alter a motor
  fuel metering device or a motor fuel unattended payment terminal
  for an unlawful purpose.
               (2)  "Motor fuel metering device" has the meaning
  assigned by Section 2310.001, Occupations Code.
               (3)  "Motor fuel unattended payment terminal" has the
  meaning assigned by Section 607.001, Business & Commerce Code.
         (b)  A person commits an offense if the person:
               (1)  intentionally intercepts, disrupts, or otherwise
  interferes with the operation of or attempts to intercept, disrupt,
  or otherwise interfere with the operation of a motor fuel metering
  device or motor fuel unattended payment terminal;
               (2)  intentionally modifies or attempts to modify a
  motor fuel metering device or motor fuel unattended payment
  terminal;
               (3)  intentionally manufactures, assembles, possesses,
  sells, or attempts to sell a motor fuel manipulation device;
               (4)  knowingly benefits from conduct described by
  Subdivision (1) or (2); or
               (5)  knowingly benefits from the sale of a motor fuel
  manipulation device.
         (c)  It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under
  Subsection (b)(3) for possession of a motor fuel manipulation
  device that the device is possessed by:
               (1)  a service technician, as defined by Section
  2310.151, Occupations Code, acting in the course and scope of the
  technician's employment, as authorized by the technician's
  employer, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, or a
  law enforcement agency;
               (2)  an employee or authorized representative of the
  Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation assigned to administer
  or enforce Chapter 2310, Occupations Code, acting in the course and
  scope of the employee's or representative's official duties; or
               (3)  a law enforcement officer while engaged in the
  actual discharge of the officer's official duties.
         (d)  An offense under this section is a felony of the second
  degree.
         SECTION 2.  Section 71.02(a), Penal Code, is amended to read
  as follows:
         (a)  A person commits an offense if, with the intent to
  establish, maintain, or participate in a combination or in the
  profits of a combination or as a member of a criminal street gang,
  the person commits or conspires to commit one or more of the
  following:
               (1)  murder, capital murder, arson, aggravated
  robbery, robbery, burglary, theft, aggravated kidnapping,
  kidnapping, aggravated assault, aggravated sexual assault, sexual
  assault, continuous sexual abuse of young child or disabled
  individual, solicitation of a minor, forgery, deadly conduct,
  assault punishable as a Class A misdemeanor, burglary of a motor
  vehicle, or unauthorized use of a motor vehicle;
               (2)  any gambling offense punishable as a Class A
  misdemeanor;
               (3)  promotion of prostitution, aggravated promotion
  of prostitution, or compelling prostitution;
               (4)  unlawful manufacture, transportation, repair, or
  sale of firearms or prohibited weapons;
               (5)  unlawful manufacture, delivery, dispensation, or
  distribution of a controlled substance or dangerous drug, or
  unlawful possession of a controlled substance or dangerous drug
  through forgery, fraud, misrepresentation, or deception;
               (5-a)  causing the unlawful delivery, dispensation, or
  distribution of a controlled substance or dangerous drug in
  violation of Subtitle B, Title 3, Occupations Code;
               (6)  any unlawful wholesale promotion or possession of
  any obscene material or obscene device with the intent to wholesale
  promote the same;
               (7)  any offense under Subchapter B, Chapter 43,
  depicting or involving conduct by or directed toward a child
  younger than 18 years of age;
               (8)  any felony offense under Chapter 32;
               (9)  any offense under Chapter 36;
               (10)  any offense under Chapter 34, 35, or 35A;
               (11)  any offense under Section 37.11(a);
               (12)  any offense under Chapter 20A;
               (13)  any offense under Section 37.10;
               (14)  any offense under Section 38.06, 38.07, 38.09, or
  38.11;
               (15)  any offense under Section 42.10;
               (16)  any offense under Section 46.06(a)(1) or 46.14;
               (17)  any offense under Section 20.05 or 20.06;
               (18)  any offense under Section 16.02 or 16.021; or
               (19)  any offense classified as a felony under the Tax
  Code.
         SECTION 3.  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 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
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