Hall’s bill raises penalties for burglary of places of worship

The text as introduced · 326 words

89R4739 JDK-D

By: Hall
S.B. No. 1390

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to enhancing the criminal penalties for burglary of a

place of worship.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 30.02, Penal Code, is amended by

amending Subsections (c) and (c-2) and adding Subsection (e) to

read as follows:

(c) Except as provided in Subsection (c-1), (c-2), [ or ] (d),

or (e), an offense under this section is a:

(1) state jail felony if committed in a building other

than a habitation or a place of worship ; or

(2) felony of the second degree if committed in a

habitation or a place of worship .

(c-2) An offense under this section is a felony of the third

degree if:

(1) the premises are a building other than a

habitation or a place of worship ; and

(2) it is shown on the trial of the offense that the

actor committed the offense in the course of committing an offense

under Section 20.05(a)(2).

(e) An offense under this section is a felony of the first

degree if:

(1) the premises are a place of worship; and

(2) any party to the offense entered the place of

worship with intent to commit a felony other than felony theft or

committed or attempted to commit a felony other than felony theft.

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, 2025.