HB 859
firing a gun in certain cities becomes a felony
Filed
Verdict: No flags
Initial review · graded Nov 9, 2026 · How we grade
Caption
relating to increasing the criminal penalty for the offense of discharging a firearm in certain municipalities.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
Class A misdemeanor to state jail felony, starting September 1, 2027.
This bill raises the penalty for the existing offense of firing a gun inside certain cities, under Section 42.12 of the Penal Code, from a Class A misdemeanor to a state jail felony. It touches anyone who discharges a firearm in the municipalities that section already covers. Starting September 1, 2027, conduct that was a misdemeanor becomes a felony-level offense, and anything before that date stays under the old penalty.
Receipt
The receipt
90R-HB859 · 2026-11-09
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to increasing the criminal penalty for the offense of discharging a firearm in certain municipalities.
WHAT IT DOES
Class A misdemeanor to state jail felony, starting September 1, 2027.
This bill raises the penalty for the existing offense of firing a gun inside certain cities, under Section 42.12 of the Penal Code, from a Class A misdemeanor to a state jail felony. It touches anyone who discharges a firearm in the municipalities that section already covers. Starting September 1, 2027, conduct that was a misdemeanor becomes a felony-level offense, and anything before that date stays under the old penalty.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Filed
FILED UNDER
No verified beat found.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
Not tied to this bill.
Sources
The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.
Derived itemized flow · Jul 30, 2024 to Oct 20, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$15,000.00
Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC
$15,000.00
- Cash
- $15,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $15,000.00
Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Oct 15, 2024 to Oct 16, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 100988591, 101033306, 101072783.
Vistra Employee Political Action Committee of Vistra Corp.$13,500.00
Vistra Employee Political Action Committee of Vistra Corp.
$13,500.00
- Cash
- $13,500.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $13,500.00
Also funds 84 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Aug 14, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Oct 15, 2024 to Oct 16, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 100988591, 101033306, 101072783.
Blackridge$12,000.00
Blackridge
$12,000.00
- Cash
- $12,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $12,000.00
Also funds 86 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Aug 5, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Oct 13, 2025 to Aug 11, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101033306, 101061466, 101071312.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC
$15,000.00
- Cash
- $15,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $15,000.00
Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Oct 15, 2024 to Oct 16, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 100988591, 101033306, 101072783.
Vistra Employee Political Action Committee of Vistra Corp.
$13,500.00
- Cash
- $13,500.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $13,500.00
Also funds 84 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Aug 14, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Oct 15, 2024 to Oct 16, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 100988591, 101033306, 101072783.
Blackridge
$12,000.00
- Cash
- $12,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $12,000.00
Also funds 86 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Aug 5, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · Oct 13, 2025 to Aug 11, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101033306, 101061466, 101071312.
Votes
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
Fiscal
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
How this was graded
Analysis of text version I by a super-expensive superintelligence, Nov 9, 2026, against the published rubric.
Sources
Texas House · Filed Nov 9, 2026
11/09/2026 H Filed
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Nov 10, 2026 at 2:37 AM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
Subjects
Criminal Procedure--Sentencing & Punishment
Weapons
Text
The text as introduced · 164 words
90R1215 CJD-D By: Anchía H.B. No. 859 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to increasing the criminal penalty for the offense of discharging a firearm in certain municipalities. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 42.12(b), Penal Code, is amended to read as follows: (b) An offense under this section is a state jail felony [ Class A misdemeanor ]. 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, 2027.