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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
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