HB 2927
AN ACT relating to increasing the criminal penalty for a peace officer who
89th Regular Session
Jan 14, 2025 - Jun 2, 2025 • Session ended
Awaiting Committee Assignment
Bill filed, pending referral to House committee
Committee
Not yet assigned
Fiscal Note
Not available
What This Bill Does
Increases criminal penalties for peace officers who fail to report suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of elderly persons or people with disabilities. If a peace officer encounters such a situation and knowingly does not report it, they can now be charged with a state jail felony, which is a more serious offense than the previous Class A misdemeanor. The law specifically applies when the victim is a person with an intellectual disability residing in a state-supported living center or similar facility, and the officer knows serious bodily injury has occurred.
Subject Areas
Bill Text
relating to increasing the criminal penalty for a peace officer who fails to report the suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of an elderly person or a person with a disability. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 48.052(a), Human Resources Code, is (a) A person commits an offense if the person has cause to believe that an elderly person or person with a disability has been abused, neglected, or exploited or is in the state of abuse, neglect, or exploitation and knowingly fails to report in accordance with this chapter. An offense under this subsection is a Class A misdemeanor, except that the offense is a state jail felony if it is shown on the trial of the offense that: (1) the abused, neglected, or exploited person is a person with an intellectual disability who resided in a state supported living center, the ICF-IID component of the Rio Grande State Center, or a facility licensed under Chapter 252, Health and Safety Code, and the actor knew that the person had suffered serious bodily injury as a result of the abuse, neglect, or exploitation; or (2) the actor is a peace officer who encountered the abused, neglected, or exploited person in the course of discharging 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 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
Expert Lobbyists for This Bill
These lobbyists specialize in Aging and related subject areas.
Adnelis M. Perez Vega
PremiumHaley Cornyn
Allen E. Blakemore
Vera Denise Rose
Gavin L. Massingill
Luis Saenz
Drew Deberry
Jennifer Shelley Rodriguez
Ky Ash
Nora Del Bosque
Bill History
Bill filed: AN ACT relating to increasing the criminal penalty for a peace officer who
Related Guides
Learn more about tracking Texas legislation and working with lobbyists.
How to Read & Track Texas Bills
Master bill numbering, understand legislative language, and learn effective tracking strategies.
Understanding Texas Legislative Deadlines
Navigate the 140-day session with critical calendar dates and filing deadlines.
How Laws Get Made in Texas
Follow a bill's journey from filing to the governor's desk through committees and floor votes.
When Should Your Business Hire a Lobbyist?
Discover the signs that your business needs professional advocacy at the Texas Capitol.