H.B. No. 1401 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to include the offense of improper relationship between educator and student as a reportable conviction or adjudication for sex offender registration requirements. Specifically, it adds the language "21.12 (Improper relationship between educator and student)" to the definition of "reportable conviction or adjudication" in Article 62.001(5). This change means that individuals convicted of this offense will be subject to the same registration requirements as those convicted of other serious sexual offenses.
The bill stipulates that the changes will only apply to offenses committed on or after the effective date of the Act, which is set for September 1, 2025. Offenses committed prior to this date will continue to be governed by the existing law. This ensures that the new registration requirements do not retroactively affect individuals who committed the offense before the law takes effect.