On Thursday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott details proposed plans for new legislative proposals to raise penalties and create new crimes that would require jail time for offenses committed at protests. Abbot said, “Today, we are announcing more legislative proposals to do even more to protect our law enforcement officers as well as do more to keep our community safe.”
Abbott’s proposals would create felony-level offenses with mandatory jail time for causing injury or destroying property during what is established to be a “riot.” Blocking hospital entrances and using lasers to target police would also be felony offenses that would require a jail sentence, Abbott said. Striking an officer with something like a water bottle would lead to a mandatory minimum of six months in jail.
Lawmakers will not be able to pass this legislation until 2021.