Grassroots Priorities 2.0

SB412

Signed by Governor
Authored by Mayes Middleton (R)
View at Source

Caption: Relating to affirmative defenses to prosecution for certain offenses involving material or conduct that is obscene or otherwise harmful to children.
Initially Referred to Senate Criminal Justice Committee, chaired by a Republican
Last Referred to House State Affairs Committee, chaired by a Republican

RPT Priority #3: Stop Sexualizing Texas' Kids ENDORSED

Christin Bentley:
"Repeals the absurd affirmative defenses in 43.24, 43.25, and 43.26 that allow child sexual predators affirmative defenses to distributing, selling, and displaying porn to a minor, sexual performance by a child, and possession of child porn, leaving only a strict carveout for judicial and law enforcement officers to discharge their official duties."

SB 412 limits affirmative defenses to prosecution for offenses involving obscene materials or conduct harmful to children. It narrows these defenses to cases involving bona fide judicial, law enforcement, or legislative purposes, removing exemptions for educational, medical, psychological, and other similar justifications.

Co-authors: Bettencourt (R); Creighton (R); Flores (R); Hagenbuch (R); Hall (R); Parker (R)
Sponsors: Patterson (R)
Co-sponsors: Bumgarner (R); Holt (R); Spiller (R)

Nov 21, 2024

(S) Middleton signed onto the bill as Author
(S) Received by the Secretary of the Senate
(S) Filed

Feb 3, 2025

(S) Read first time
(S) Referred to the Senate Criminal Justice, chaired by a Republican

Mar 4, 2025

(S) Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
(S) Considered in public hearing
(S) Testimony taken in committee
(S) Vote taken in committee

Mar 6, 2025

(S) Reported favorably as substituted
(S) Committee report printed and distributed

Mar 11, 2025

(S) Hagenbuch signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(S) Flores signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(S) Co-author authorized
(S) Placed on intent calendar

Mar 12, 2025

(S) Parker signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(S) Hall signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(S) Co-author authorized

Mar 18, 2025

(S) Bettencourt signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(S) Creighton signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(S) Co-author authorized
(S) Rules suspended-Regular order of business
(S) Record vote
(S) Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment

20250318_SB412_2R: Yea 21 (R 20, D 1) - Nay 9 (R 0, D 9)
Yea - A. Hinojosa; Bettencourt; Birdwell; Campbell; Creighton; Flores; Hagenbuch; Hall; Hancock; Huffman; Hughes; J. Hinojosa; King; Kolkhorst; Middleton; Nichols; Parker; Paxton; Perry; Schwertner; Sparks
Nay - Alvarado; Cook; Eckhardt; Gutierrez; Johnson; Menendez; Miles; West; Zaffirini
Absent - Blanco
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(S) Record vote

Mar 19, 2025

(S) Rules suspended-Regular order of business
(S) Record vote
(S) Read 3rd time
(S) Passed

20250319_SB412_3R: Yea 22 (R 20, D 2) - Nay 9 (R 0, D 9)
Yea - A. Hinojosa; Bettencourt; Birdwell; Blanco; Campbell; Creighton; Flores; Hagenbuch; Hall; Hancock; Huffman; Hughes; J. Hinojosa; King; Kolkhorst; Middleton; Nichols; Parker; Paxton; Perry; Schwertner; Sparks
Nay - Alvarado; Cook; Eckhardt; Gutierrez; Johnson; Menendez; Miles; West; Zaffirini
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(S) Record vote
(S) Reported engrossed

Mar 20, 2025

(H) Received from the Senate

Apr 9, 2025

(H) Read first time
(H) Referred to the House State Affairs, chaired by a Republican

Apr 28, 2025

(H) Considered in public hearing
(H) Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)

Apr 29, 2025

(H) Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
(H) Committee report distributed
(H) Committee report sent to Calendars

May 1, 2025

(H) Laid out in lieu of companion
(H) Read 2nd time
(H) Point of order withdrawn
(H) Point of order withdrawn
(H) Passed to 3rd reading
(H) Record vote

RV#1155: Yea 99 (R 75, D 24) - Nay 31 (R 0, D 31)
View Source
Yea - Alders; Barry; Bell, C.; Bell, K.; Bhojani; Bonnen; Bumgarner; Button; Cain; Canales; Capriglione; Cook; Cortez; Craddick; Curry; Darby; Dean; DeAyala; Dorazio; Dyson; Fairly; Gamez; Garcia, J.; Gates; Gerdes; Geren; Gervin-Hawkins; Guerra; Guillen; Harless; Harris; Harris Davila; Harrison; Hayes; Hefner; Hernandez; Hickland; Hopper; Hull; Isaac; Johnson; Kitzman; LaHood; Lalani; Landgraf; Little; Longoria; Lopez, J.; Louderback; Lowe; Lozano; Lujan; Luther; Manuel; Martinez; McLaughlin; McQueeney; Metcalf; Meyer; Money; Morales, E.; Morgan; Munoz; Noble; Olcott; Oliverson; Ordaz; Orr; Patterson; Paul; Perez, M.; Perez, V.; Phelan; Pierson; Plesa; Raymond; Richardson; Romero; Schatzline; Schofield; Shaheen; Shofner; Simmons; Slawson; Smithee; Spiller; Swanson; Tepper; Thompson; Tinderholt; Toth; Troxclair; VanDeaver; Vasut; Villalobos; Virdell; Walle; Wharton; Wilson
Nay - Anchia; Bowers; Bucy; Campos; Cole; Collier; Davis, A.; Davis, Y.; Flores; Garcia Hernandez; Garcia, L.; Gonzalez, J.; Gonzalez, M.; Goodwin; Howard; Jones, J.; Jones, V.; Lopez, R.; Martinez Fischer; Meza; Morales, C.; Morales Shaw; Reynolds; Rodriguez Ramos; Rose; Rosenthal; Turner; Vo; Ward Johnson; Wu; Zwiener
Absent - Lambert; Moody
Present, Not Voting - Burrows
Please note: the following statements by legislators do not affect the vote count that was recorded.
Claudia Ordaz: "When Record No. 1155 was taken, I was shown voting yes. I intended to vote no." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)
Eddie Morales: "When Record No. 1155 was taken, I was shown voting yes. I intended to vote no." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)
R. D. Guerra: "When Record No. 1155 was taken, I was shown voting yes. I intended to vote no." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)
Salman Bhojani: "When Record No. 1155 was taken, I was shown voting yes. I intended to vote no." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)
Senfronia Thompson: "When Record No. 1155 was taken, I was shown voting yes. I intended to vote no." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)
Terri Leo Wilson: "When Record No. 1155 was taken, I was excused to attend a meeting of the Committee on Public Education. I would have voted yes." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)
You can view which lawmakers have received money from a specific PAC
by selecting the PAC from the list below:

(H) Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal

May 2, 2025

(H) Read 3rd time
(H) Passed
(H) Record vote

RV#1343: Yea 92 (R 81, D 11) - Nay 39 (R 0, D 39)
View Source
Yea - Alders; Ashby; Barry; Bell, C.; Bell, K.; Bonnen; Buckley; Bumgarner; Button; Cain; Capriglione; Cook; Cortez; Craddick; Cunningham; Curry; Darby; Dean; DeAyala; Dorazio; Dyson; Fairly; Frank; Gamez; Gates; Gerdes; Geren; Guillen; Harless; Harris; Harris Davila; Harrison; Hayes; Hefner; Hickland; Hopper; Hull; Hunter; Isaac; Johnson; Kerwin; Kitzman; Landgraf; Leach; Leo Wilson; Little; Longoria; Lopez, J.; Louderback; Lowe; Lozano; Lujan; Luther; Manuel; Martinez; McQueeney; Metcalf; Meyer; Money; Morales, E.; Morgan; Noble; Olcott; Oliverson; Orr; Patterson; Paul; Perez, M.; Perez, V.; Phelan; Pierson; Plesa; Raymond; Richardson; Schofield; Schoolcraft; Shaheen; Shofner; Slawson; Smithee; Spiller; Swanson; Tepper; Tinderholt; Toth; Troxclair; VanDeaver; Vasut; Villalobos; Virdell; Wharton; Wilson
Nay - Allen; Anchia; Bhojani; Bowers; Bryant; Bucy; Cole; Davis, A.; Davis, Y.; Flores; Garcia Hernandez; Garcia, J.; Garcia, L.; Gervin-Hawkins; Gonzalez, J.; Gonzalez, M.; Goodwin; Hernandez; Hinojosa; Howard; Jones, J.; Jones, V.; Meza; Moody; Morales Shaw; Ordaz; Reynolds; Rodriguez Ramos; Romero; Rose; Rosenthal; Simmons; Talarico; Thompson; Turner; Walle; Ward Johnson; Wu; Zwiener
Absent - Bernal; Dutton; King; Lalani; Lopez, R.; Vo
Present, Not Voting - Burrows; Guerra
You can view which lawmakers have received money from a specific PAC
by selecting the PAC from the list below:

May 5, 2025

(S) House passage reported
(S) Reported enrolled

May 7, 2025

(S) Signed in the Senate
(H) Signed in the House
(E) Sent to the Governor

May 19, 2025

(E) Signed by the Governor
(E) Effective on 9/1/25

(S) Patterson signed onto the bill as Sponsor
(S) Bumgarner signed onto the bill as Cosponsor
(S) Spiller signed onto the bill as Cosponsor
(S) Holt signed onto the bill as Cosponsor

Lobbying Against/For/On This Bill

Against

(Tue 3/4/2025) Testifying before S Criminal Justice as Sarah Warbelow for Human Rights Campaign
(Tue 3/4/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as Andrew Hendrickson for American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
(Tue 3/4/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as James Hallamek for Texas State Teachers Association (TSTA)
(Tue 3/4/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as Jennifer Easley for Texas Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
(Tue 3/4/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as Kelsey Kling for self (with Texas American Federation of Teachers (AFT))
(Tue 3/4/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as Melanie Cofield for self
(Tue 3/4/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as Monty Exter for Association of Texas Professional Educators (ATPE)
(Tue 3/4/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as Pamela McPeters for Texas Classroom Teachers Association
(Tue 3/4/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as Wendy Woodland for Texas Library Association

For

(Tue 3/4/2025) Testifying before S Criminal Justice as Bonnie Wallace for self
(Tue 3/4/2025) Testifying before S Criminal Justice as Brian Hawthorne for self (with Sheriffs' Association of Texas (SAT))
(Tue 3/4/2025) Testifying before S Criminal Justice as Christin Bentley for Republican Party of Texas
(Tue 3/4/2025) Testifying before S Criminal Justice as Deborah Simmons for self
(Tue 3/4/2025) Testifying before S Criminal Justice as Dennis London for self (with Grassroots America We The People)
(Tue 3/4/2025) Testifying before S Criminal Justice as Heidi Ruiz for Houston Police Department
(Tue 3/4/2025) Testifying before S Criminal Justice as John Wilkerson for Texas Municipal Police Association (TMPA)
(Tue 3/4/2025) Testifying before S Criminal Justice as Liz Case for self
(Tue 3/4/2025) Testifying before S Criminal Justice as Ray Hunt for self (with Houston Police Officers Union (HPOU))
(Tue 3/4/2025) Testifying before S Criminal Justice as Rhonda Miller for self (with Purple for Parents United)
(Tue 3/4/2025) Testifying before S Criminal Justice as Shannon Ayres for self (with Citizens Defending Freedom)
(Tue 3/4/2025) Testifying before S Criminal Justice as Vanessa Sivadge for self (with Protecting Texas Children)
(Tue 3/4/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as Brady Gray for self (with Texad Family Project)
(Tue 3/4/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as Cindi Castilla for self (with Texas Eagle Forum)
(Tue 3/4/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as David Dunmoyer for Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF)
(Tue 3/4/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as James Smith for San Antonio Police Department
(Tue 3/4/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as Jennifer Allmon for Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops
(Tue 3/4/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as Jennifer Szimanski for Combined Law Enforcement Association of Texas (CLEAT)
(Tue 3/4/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as Mary Castle for Texas Values
(Tue 3/4/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as of Texas for Combined Law Enforcement Association of Texas (CLEAT)
(Tue 3/4/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as Thomas Parkinson for self

(Tue 3/4/2025) Testifying before S Criminal Justice as Jennifer Fleck for self (with We the people lake travis)
(Tue 3/4/2025) Testifying before S Criminal Justice as Steven Stone for Texas Department of Public Safety
(Tue 3/4/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as Brody Burks for Office of the Attorney General
(Tue 3/4/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as Cody Smirl for Office of the Attorney General