SB 990 Texas Senate · 89th Legislature (2025)

Relating to increasing the punishment for certain conduct constituting the offense of murder.

SB 990 amends Texas law to impose enhanced penalties for specific murder cases. It targets offenders who commit murder under nine defined aggravating circumstances, including killing police/firefighters on duty, murdering during other serious crimes (like burglary or robbery), hiring hitmen, killing children under 15, or killing someone in retaliation for their judicial role. The bill does not change general murder penalties but increases punishment severity for these specific scenarios. It directly affects individuals convicted of murder meeting any of these listed conditions. The law applies only to offenses committed on or after the bill's effective date.

Issues: ✗ Criminal Justice

Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

May 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House Passage

Governor

Introduced Jan 29, 2025 Last action May 21, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Engrossed · 4 edits · Mar 26, 2025

MODERATE

This bill amends Texas murder sentencing laws to increase penalties for specific circumstances, including killing peace officers, committing murder during other felonies, and murdering individuals under 15 years of age. The bill also repeals an existing provision in the Code of Criminal Procedure regarding murder penalties and clarifies when the new law applies to offenses.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of enhanced murder penalties by adding new circumstances that trigger increased punishment, while removing an older provision that may have had different application criteria.

ELIGIBILITY

Modified the age threshold for enhanced murder penalties, changing the protected age group from under 15 years to under 10 years of age for victims.

REQUIREMENT

Removed Section 2 of the original bill which repealed Section 1(b) of Article 37.071 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, replacing it with new repeal language.

Added new subsections to Section 19.03(a) of the Penal Code that specify additional circumstances under which murder is punished more severely, including killing peace officers and firemen, committing murder during other felonies, and murdering individuals under 10 years old.

TIMELINE

Maintained the effective date of September 1, 2025, for when the new murder penalty provisions will apply to offenses.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 26, 2025

How they voted

25–5

Passed

Total votes 30

Mar 26, 2025

D Democratic10

5 Yea 5 Nay

50% Nay

R Republican20

20 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

May 21, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report sent to Calendars

lower

May 20, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report distributed

lower

May 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)

lower

May 12, 2025

Lower · Passed

Recalled from subcommittee

lower

May 8, 2025

Lower · Passed

Left pending in subcommittee

lower

May 8, 2025

Lower · Passed

Vote reconsidered in subcommittee

lower

May 8, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported from s/c favorably w/o amendment(s)

lower

May 8, 2025

Lower · Passed

Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in subcommittee

lower

May 1, 2025

Committee

Referred directly to subcommittee by chair

lower

Apr 22, 2025

Committee

Referred to Criminal Jurisprudence

lower

Apr 22, 2025

Introduced

Read first time

lower

Mar 27, 2025

Introduced

Received from the Senate

lower

Mar 26, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed

upper

Mar 26, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed to engrossment as amended

upper

Mar 26, 2025

Upper · Passed

Amended

upper

Mar 26, 2025

Introduced

Amendment(s) offered

upper

Mar 19, 2025

Upper · Passed

Committee report printed and distributed

upper

Mar 19, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably w/o amendments

upper

Mar 18, 2025

Upper · Passed

Vote taken in committee

upper

Mar 18, 2025

Upper · Passed

Testimony taken in committee

upper

Feb 13, 2025

Committee

Referred to Criminal Justice

upper

Feb 13, 2025

Introduced

Read first time

upper

2 primary · 10 co-sponsors