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Read. Follow. Verify.Texas increases criminal penalties and felony classifications for certain illegal entry and presence offenses
Last action · May 5, 2025: Considered in CalendarsSponsors: Stan Gerdes and 6 others
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What This Bill Proposed
House Bill 1832 increases criminal penalties for certain offenses involving illegal entry into or illegal presence in Texas, raising specific violations to state jail felonies, third-degree felonies, second-degree felonies, and first-degree felonies depending on prior convictions. The changes apply to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025.
The measure alters sentencing guidelines and elevates misdemeanor offenses to various felony tiers for individuals with specific prior convictions, impacting local prosecution caseloads, county jail capacities, and state correctional resource allocations.
- The Texas Penal Code governs criminal offenses and penalties within the state, including chapter provisions related to unauthorized entry or presence. context
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.
individuals charged with offenses involving illegal entry or illegal presence
Defendants facing charges under Section 51.02, 51.03, or 51.04 of the Penal Code face elevated misdemeanor or felony penalty classifications based on their prior criminal history and removal status.
law enforcement agencies and prosecutors
Law enforcement and prosecutors operate under higher felony sentencing tiers and classification guidelines when charging and prosecuting offenses related to unauthorized entry or presence.
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
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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
13 actions- May 5, 2025HouseConsidered in Calendars
- Apr 11, 2025HouseCommittee report sent to Calendars
- Apr 10, 2025HouseCommittee report distributed
- Apr 10, 2025HouseComte report filed with Committee Coordinator
- Apr 2, 2025HouseCommitteeReported favorably w/o amendment(s)
- Apr 2, 2025HouseConsidered in public hearing
Show 7 earlier actions
- Mar 26, 2025HouseLeft pending in committee
- Mar 26, 2025HouseTestimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
- Mar 26, 2025HouseConsidered in public hearing
- Mar 26, 2025HouseScheduled for public hearing on . . .
- Mar 14, 2025HouseCommitteeReferred to Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs
- Mar 14, 2025HouseIntroducedRead first time
- Jan 14, 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.
Escalation of Penalties for Repeat Offenses
The bill systematically links prior misdemeanor and felony convictions—including offenses under Chapter 49 and drug crimes—to progressive felony enhancements for unauthorized entry and presence.
Connected Entities
Sources
capitol.texas.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance20Lowered because this bill did not pass (its text scored 75)
- Controversy85Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz60Current news / social attention level
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