Texas § PE.43.261 - ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION OF CERTAIN VISUAL MATERIAL DEPICTING MINOR

§ PE.43.261. ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION OF CERTAIN VISUAL MATERIAL DEPICTING MINOR

ELECTRONIC TRANSMISSION OF CERTAIN VISUAL MATERIAL DEPICTING MINOR. (a) In this section: (1) "Dating relationship" has the meaning assigned by Section 71.0021 , Family Code. (2) "Minor" means a person younger than 18 years of age. (3) "Produce" with respect to visual material includes any conduct that directly contributes to the creation or manufacture of the material. (4) "Promote" has the meaning assigned by Section 43.25 . (5) "Sexual conduct" has the meaning assigned by Section 43.25 . (6) "Visual material" has the meaning assigned by Section 43.26 . (b) A person who is a minor commits an offense if the person intentionally or knowingly: (1) by electronic means promotes to another minor visual material depicting a minor, including the actor, engaging in sexual conduct, if the actor produced the visual material or knows that another minor produced the visual material; or (2) possesses in an electronic format visual material depicting another minor engaging in sexual conduct, if the actor produced the visual material or knows that another minor produced the visual material. (b-1) For purposes of conduct prohibited under Subsection (b), visual material to which that conduct applies includes: (1) a depiction of a minor: (A) who is recognizable as an actual person by the person's face, likeness, or other distinguishing characteristic, such as a unique birthmark or other recognizable feature; and (B) whose image as a minor was used in creating, adapting, or modifying the visual material, including computer-generated visual material that was created, adapted, or modified using an artificial intelligence application or other computer software; or (2) a depiction of a minor, created using an artificial intelligence application or other computer software, that to a reasonable person is virtually indistinguishable from an actual minor. (c) An offense under Subsection (b)(1) is a Class C misdemeanor, except that the offense is: (1) a Class B misdemeanor if it is shown on the trial of the offense that the actor: (A) promoted the visual material with intent to harass, annoy, alarm, abuse, torment, embarrass, or offend another; or (B) except as provided by Subdivision (2)(A), has previously been convicted one time of any offense under this section; or (2) a Class A misdemeanor if it is shown on the trial of the offense that the actor has previously been: (A) convicted one or more times of an offense punishable under Subdivision (1)(A); or (B) convicted two or more times of any offense under this section. (d) An offense under Subsection (b)(2) is a Class C misdemeanor, except that the offense is: (1) a Class B misdemeanor if it is shown on the trial of the offense that the actor has previously been convicted one time of any offense under this section; or (2) a Class A misdemeanor if it is shown on the trial of the offense that the actor has previously been convicted two or more times of any offense under this section. (e) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this section that the visual material: (1) depicted only the actor or another minor: (A) who is not more than two years older or younger than the actor and with whom the actor had a dating relationship at the time of the offense; or (B) who was the spouse of the actor at the time of the offense; and (2) was promoted or received only to or from the actor and the other minor. (f) It is a defense to prosecution under Subsection (b)(2) that the actor: (1) did not produce or solicit the visual material; (2) possessed the visual material only after receiving the material from another minor; and (3) destroyed the visual material within a reasonable amount of time after receiving the material from another minor. (g) If conduct that constitutes an offense under this section also constitutes an offense under another law, the defendant may be prosecuted under this section, the other law, or both. (h) Notwithstanding Section 51.13 , Family Code, a finding that a person has engaged in conduct in violation of this section is considered a conviction for the purposes of Subsections (c) and (d). Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1322 (S.B. 407 ), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2011. Amended by: Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 730 (H.B. 2700 ), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2023. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 847 (S.B. 1621 ), Sec. 5, eff. September 1, 2025.