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Read. Follow. Verify.Texas HB 1977 expands the admissibility of extraneous offense evidence in adult sexual assault trials
Last action · March 25, 2025: Left pending in committeeSponsors: David Cook and 2 others
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What This Bill Proposed
Texas House Bill 1977 expands the admissibility of evidence regarding other crimes, wrongs, or acts committed by a defendant against an adult victim in sexual assault and aggravated sexual assault proceedings, effective September 1, 2025.
Changes evidentiary standards in criminal trials by allowing prosecutors to introduce prior acts between the defendant and an adult victim to establish state of mind and relationship history, moving beyond previous restrictions focused primarily on child victims.
Who It Would Have Affected
Groups the bill's text would have affected, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Prosecutors
State prosecutors gain broader legal authority to introduce evidence of prior acts between defendants and adult victims during sexual assault trials.
Criminal defendants
Defendants facing sexual assault charges may have extraneous offenses and prior relationship acts admitted against them regardless of the victim's age.
Key Facts
You don't have to trust us. Each fact below is taken straight from the official document - click any one to see the exact passage, highlighted in the original.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does HB 1977 change about courtroom evidence?
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News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
This bill did not become law - Died at adjournment · in House committee.
Procedural history
7 actions- Mar 25, 2025HouseLeft pending in committee
- Mar 25, 2025HouseTestimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
- Mar 25, 2025HouseConsidered in public hearing
- Mar 25, 2025HouseScheduled for public hearing on . . .
- Mar 14, 2025HouseCommitteeReferred to Criminal Jurisprudence
- Mar 14, 2025HouseIntroducedRead first time
Show 1 earlier action
- Jan 22, 2025HouseIntroducedFiled
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Expansion of Evidentiary Scope Beyond Minors
The legislation broadens a statutory exception traditionally centered on child victims to encompass victims of any age in sexual assault prosecutions.
Connected Entities
Sources
capitol.texas.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 75)
- Controversy45Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz25Current news / social attention level
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