HB5238 - Relating to the criminal offense of disrupting a meeting or procession.

      H.B. No. 5238         AN ACT   relating to the criminal offense of disrupting a meeting or   procession.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 42.05(a), Penal Code, is amended to read   as follows:          (a)  A person commits an offense if, with intent to prevent   or disrupt a lawful meeting, procession, or gathering, whether in   person or virtual, the person [ he ] obstructs or interferes with the   meeting, procession, or gathering by :                 (1)   physical action ;                 (2)   [ or ] verbal utterance ; or                 (3)     electronic disturbance, including hacking, of any   virtual component of the meeting, procession, or gathering .          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.       ______________________________ ______________________________      President of the Senate Speaker of the House                   I certify that H.B. No. 5238 was passed by the House on May 2,   2025, by the following vote:  Yeas 134, Nays 1, 1 present, not   voting.     ______________________________   Chief Clerk of the House                 I certify that H.B. No. 5238 was passed by the Senate on May   16, 2025, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.     ______________________________   Secretary of the Senate       APPROVED:  _____________________                      Date                           _____________________                    Governor