89R3709 AJZ-F     By: Gervin-Hawkins H.B. No. 689       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to increasing the criminal penalty for certain offenses   committed in a vehicle operated by a public transportation system.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 12, Penal Code, is amended   by adding Section 12.503 to read as follows:          Sec. 12.503.  PENALTY IF OFFENSE COMMITTED IN PUBLIC   TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE. (a)  Subject to Subsection (c), the   punishment for an offense described by Subsection (b) is increased   to the punishment prescribed for the next higher category of   offense if it is shown on the trial of the offense that the offense   was committed in a vehicle operated by an authority created under   Chapter 451, 452, 453, 457, 458, or 460, Transportation Code.          (b)  The increase in punishment authorized by this section   applies only to an offense under Chapter 21, 22, or 29.          (c)  If an offense described by Subsection (b) is punishable   as a Class A misdemeanor, the minimum term of confinement for the   offense is increased to 180 days. If an offense described by   Subsection (b) is punishable as a felony of the first degree, the   punishment for that offense may not be increased under this   section.          (d)  For the purposes of this section, "vehicle" means a bus,   a railcar, rolling stock, or another vehicle used by the public for   mass transit purposes.          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.