Texas Penal Code

Sexual Offenses 

PENAL CODE

TITLE 5. OFFENSES AGAINST THE PERSON

CHAPTER 21. SEXUAL OFFENSES

Sec. 21.01.  DEFINITIONS.  In this chapter:

(1)  "Deviate sexual intercourse" means:

(A)  any contact between any part of the genitals of one person and the mouth or anus of another person; or

(B)  the penetration of the genitals or the anus of another person with an object.

(2)  "Sexual contact" means, except as provided by Section 21.11, any touching of the anus, breast, or any part of the genitals of another person with intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person.

(3)  "Sexual intercourse" means any penetration of the female sex organ by the male sex organ.

(4)  "Spouse" means a person to whom a person is legally married under Subtitle A, Title 1, Family Code, or a comparable law of another jurisdiction.

Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 883, ch. 399, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974. Amended by Acts 1979, 66th Leg., p. 373, ch. 168, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 27, 1979; Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 203, ch. 96, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1981; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 1.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1994; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 739, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.

Amended by:

Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 268, Sec. 1.124, eff. September 1, 2005.

Sec. 21.02.  CONTINUOUS SEXUAL ABUSE OF YOUNG CHILD OR CHILDREN.  

(a)  In this section, "child" has the meaning assigned by Section 22.011(c).

(b)  A person commits an offense if:

(1)  during a period that is 30 or more days in duration, the person commits two or more acts of sexual abuse, regardless of whether the acts of sexual abuse are committed against one or more victims; and

(2)  at the time of the commission of each of the acts of sexual abuse, the actor is 17 years of age or older and the victim is a child younger than 14 years of age.

(c)  For purposes of this section, "act of sexual abuse" means any act that is a violation of one or more of the following penal laws:

(1)  aggravated kidnapping under Section 20.04(a)(4), if the actor committed the offense with the intent to violate or abuse the victim sexually;

(2)  indecency with a child under Section 21.11(a)(1), if the actor committed the offense in a manner other than by touching, including touching through clothing, the breast of a child;

(3)  sexual assault under Section 22.011;

(4)  aggravated sexual assault under Section 22.021;

(5)  burglary under Section 30.02, if the offense is punishable under Subsection (d) of that section and the actor committed the offense with the intent to commit an offense listed in Subdivisions (1)-(4); and

(6)  sexual performance by a child under Section 43.25.

(d)  If a jury is the trier of fact, members of the jury are not required to agree unanimously on which specific acts of sexual abuse were committed by the defendant or the exact date when those acts were committed.  The jury must agree unanimously that the defendant, during a period that is 30 or more days in duration, committed two or more acts of sexual abuse.

(e)  A defendant may not be convicted in the same criminal action of an offense listed under Subsection (c) the victim of which is the same victim as a victim of the offense alleged under Subsection (b) unless the offense listed in Subsection (c):

(1)  is charged in the alternative;

(2)  occurred outside the period in which the offense alleged under Subsection (b) was committed; or

(3)  is considered by the trier of fact to be a lesser included offense of the offense alleged under Subsection (b).

(f)  A defendant may not be charged with more than one count under Subsection (b) if all of the specific acts of sexual abuse that are alleged to have been committed are alleged to have been committed against a single victim.

(g)  It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this section that the actor:

(1)  was not more than five years older than:

(A)  the victim of the offense, if the offense is alleged to have been committed against only one victim; or

(B)  the youngest victim of the offense, if the offense is alleged to have been committed against more than one victim;

(2)  did not use duress, force, or a threat against a victim at the time of the commission of any of the acts of sexual abuse alleged as an element of the offense; and

(3)  at the time of the commission of any of the acts of sexual abuse alleged as an element of the offense:

(A)  was not required under Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure, to register for life as a sex offender; or

(B)  was not a person who under Chapter 62 had a reportable conviction or adjudication for an offense under this section or an act of sexual abuse as described by Subsection (c).

(h)  An offense under this section is a felony of the first degree, punishable by imprisonment in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for life, or for any term of not more than 99 years or less than 25 years.

Added by Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 593, Sec. 1.17, eff. September 1, 2007.

Section 21.06 was declared unconstitutional by Lawrence v. Texas, 123 S.Ct. 2472.

Sec. 21.06.  HOMOSEXUAL CONDUCT.  (a)  A person commits an offense if he engages in deviate sexual intercourse with another individual of the same sex.

(b)  An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor.

Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 883, ch. 399, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 1.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1994.

Sec. 21.07.  PUBLIC LEWDNESS.  (a)  A person commits an offense if he knowingly engages in any of the following acts in a public place or, if not in a public place, he is reckless about whether another is present who will be offended or alarmed by his:

(1)  act of sexual intercourse;

(2)  act of deviate sexual intercourse;

(3)  act of sexual contact; or

(4)  act involving contact between the person's mouth or genitals and the anus or genitals of an animal or fowl.

(b)  An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.

Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 883, ch. 399, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 1.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1994.

Sec. 21.08.  INDECENT EXPOSURE.  (a)  A person commits an offense if he exposes his anus or any part of his genitals with intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person, and he is reckless about whether another is present who will be offended or alarmed by his act.

(b)  An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor.

Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 883, ch. 399, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974. Amended by Acts 1983, 68th Leg., p. 509, ch. 924, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1983; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 1.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1994.

Sec. 21.11.  INDECENCY WITH A CHILD.  (a)  A person commits an offense if, with a child younger than 17 years and not the person's spouse, whether the child is of the same or opposite sex, the person:

(1)  engages in sexual contact with the child or causes the child to engage in sexual contact; or

(2)  with intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person:

(A)  exposes the person's anus or any part of the person's genitals, knowing the child is present; or

(B)  causes the child to expose the child's anus or any part of the child's genitals.

(b)  It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this section that the actor:

(1)  was not more than three years older than the victim and of the opposite sex;

(2)  did not use duress, force, or a threat against the victim at the time of the offense; and

(3)  at the time of the offense:

(A)  was not required under Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure, to register for life as a sex offender; or

(B)  was not a person who under Chapter 62 had a reportable conviction or adjudication for an offense under this section.

(c)  In this section, "sexual contact" means the following acts, if committed with the intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person:

(1)  any touching by a person, including touching through clothing, of the anus, breast, or any part of the genitals of a child; or

(2)  any touching of any part of the body of a child, including touching through clothing, with the anus, breast, or any part of the genitals of a person.

(d)  An offense under Subsection (a)(1) is a felony of the second degree and an offense under Subsection (a)(2) is a felony of the third degree.

Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 883, ch. 399, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974. Amended by Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 472, ch. 202, Sec. 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1981; Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 1028, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 1.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1994; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1415, Sec. 23, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 739, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.

Sec. 21.12.  IMPROPER RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EDUCATOR AND STUDENT.  (a)  An employee of a public or private primary or secondary school commits an offense if the employee engages in:

(1) sexual contact, sexual intercourse, or deviate sexual intercourse with a person who is enrolled in a public or private primary or secondary school at which the employee works and who is not the employee's spouse; or

(2)  conduct described by Section 33.021, with a person described by Subdivision (1), regardless of the age of that person.

(b)  An offense under this section is a felony of the second degree.

(c)  If conduct constituting an offense under this section also constitutes an offense under another section of this code, the actor may be prosecuted under either section or both sections.

(d)  The name of a person who is enrolled in a public or private primary or secondary school and involved in an improper relationship with an educator as provided by Subsection (a) may not be released to the public and is not public information under Chapter 552, Government Code.

Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 224, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

Amended by:

Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 610, Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007.

Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 722, Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007.

Sec. 21.15.  IMPROPER PHOTOGRAPHY OR VISUAL RECORDING.  

(a)  In this section, "promote" has the meaning assigned by Section 43.21.

(b)  A person commits an offense if the person:

(1)  photographs or by videotape or other electronic means records, broadcasts, or transmits a visual image of another at a location that is not a bathroom or private dressing room:

(A)  without the other person's consent; and

(B)  with intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person;

(2)  photographs or by videotape or other electronic means records, broadcasts, or transmits a visual image of another at a location that is a bathroom or private dressing room:

(A)  without the other person's consent; and

(B)  with intent to:

(i)  invade the privacy of the other person; or

(ii)  arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person; or

(3)  knowing the character and content of the photograph, recording, broadcast, or transmission, promotes a photograph, recording, broadcast, or transmission described by Subdivision (1) or (2).

(c)  An offense under this section is a state jail felony.

(d)  If conduct that constitutes an offense under this section also constitutes an offense under any other law, the actor may be prosecuted under this section or the other law.

(e)  For purposes of Subsection (b)(2), a sign or signs posted indicating that the person is being photographed or that a visual image of the person is being recorded, broadcast, or transmitted is not sufficient to establish the person's consent under that subdivision.

Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 458, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2001. Amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 500, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

Amended by:

Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 306, Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007.

This page sponsored by:

Harris County Criminal Lawyer Stanley Wilkinson