Relating to the unauthorized entry, occupancy, sale, rental, lease, advertisement for sale, rental, or lease, or conveyance of real property, including the removal of certain unauthorized occupants of a dwelling; creating criminal offenses; increasing a criminal penalty; authorizing a fee.

HB 3003 amends Texas Penal Code Section 28.03 to criminalize unauthorized entry, occupancy, sale, rental, lease, advertising, or conveyance of real property, including removing unauthorized occupants from dwellings. It establishes tiered penalties based on financial damage: Class C misdemeanors for losses under $100 or causing "substantial inconvenience," up to third-degree felonies for losses over $30,000 or specific aggravating factors like damaging livestock fences or disrupting public services. The bill also increases penalties for property damage involving firearms, catalytic converter tampering, or causing livestock deaths. It directly affects individuals who illegally occupy or damage property, with consequences ranging from fines to imprisonment depending on the severity of the violation. The bill is currently in committee referral stage (Trade, Workforce & Economic Development) as of March 2025.