HB 453

relating to increasing the criminal penalties for delivery of a
controlled substance in Penalty Group 1-B to a child.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1.  Section 481.122(c), Health and Safety Code, is
(c)  An offense under this section is a felony of the second
degree, except that an offense under this section is:
(1)  a felony of the first degree punishable by
imprisonment in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for life
or for a term of not more than 99 years or less than 20 years, and a
fine not to exceed $500,000, if the actor delivers a controlled
substance listed in Penalty Group 1-B to a child; or
(2)  a capital felony if the actor delivers a
controlled substance listed in Penalty Group 1-B to a child and that
child or another child dies as a result of injecting, ingesting,
inhaling, or introducing into the child's body any amount of the
controlled substance delivered by the actor, regardless of whether
the controlled substance was used by itself or with another
substance, including a drug, adulterant, or dilutant.
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 was
SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.