Texas § PE.22.012 - INDECENT ASSAULT

§ PE.22.012. INDECENT ASSAULT

INDECENT ASSAULT. (a) A person commits an offense if, without the other person's consent and with the intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person, the person: (1) touches the anus, breast, or any part of the genitals of another person; (2) touches another person with the anus, breast, or any part of the genitals of any person; (3) exposes or attempts to expose another person's genitals, pubic area, anus, buttocks, or female areola; or (4) causes another person to contact the blood, seminal fluid, vaginal fluid, saliva, urine, or feces of any person. Text of subsection as amended by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 596 (H.B. 2593 ), Sec. 1 (b) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor, except that the offense is: (1) a state jail felony if it is shown on the trial of the offense that: (A) the defendant has been previously convicted of an offense under this section, other than an offense punishable under Paragraph (B); or (B) the defendant is a health care services provider or a mental health services provider and the act is: (i) committed during the course of providing a treatment or service to the victim; and (ii) beyond the scope of generally accepted practices for the treatment or service; (2) a felony of the third degree if it is shown on the trial of the offense that the defendant has been previously convicted of an offense under this section that is punishable under Subdivision (1)(B); or (3) a felony of the second degree if the victim is a disabled individual or an elderly individual. Text of subsection as amended by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1145 (S.B. 1610 ), Sec. 4 (b) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor, except that the offense is: (1) a state jail felony if it is shown on the trial of the offense that: (A) the defendant has been previously convicted of an offense under this section, other than an offense punishable under Paragraph (B); or (B) the defendant is a health care services provider or a mental health services provider and the act is: (i) committed during the course of providing a treatment or service to the victim; and (ii) beyond the scope of generally accepted practices for the treatment or service; (2) a felony of the third degree if it is shown on the trial of the offense that the defendant has been previously convicted of an offense under this section that is punishable under Subdivision (1)(B); or (3) a felony of the third degree if the offense is committed by an actor who is committed to a civil commitment facility, against: (A) a person the actor knows is an officer or employee of the Texas Civil Commitment Office: (i) while the officer or employee is lawfully discharging an official duty; or (ii) in retaliation for or on account of an exercise of official power or performance of an official duty by the officer or employee; or (B) a person the actor knows is contracting with the state to perform a service in a civil commitment facility or an employee of that person: (i) while the person or employee is engaged in performing a service within the scope of the contract; or (ii) in retaliation for or on account of the person's or employee's performance of a service within the scope of the contract. (c) If conduct that constitutes an offense under this section also constitutes an offense under another law, the actor may be prosecuted under this section, the other law, or both. (d) In this section: (1) "Disabled individual" and "elderly individual" have the meanings assigned by Section 22.04 . (2) "Health care services provider" and "mental health services provider" have the meanings assigned by Section 22.011 . Added by Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 955 (S.B. 194 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2019. Amended by: Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 659 (H.B. 55 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2023. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 596 (H.B. 2593 ), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2025. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1145 (S.B. 1610 ), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2025.