S.B. No. 1234 amends the Penal Code to enhance the legal framework surrounding the criminal offense of endangering a child, elderly individual, or disabled individual through conduct involving controlled substances. The bill specifically adds provisions that presume a person is engaging in conduct that places these vulnerable individuals in imminent danger if they manufacture, possess, or introduce methamphetamine or any controlled substance listed in Penalty Group 1-B into the body of a person in the presence of the vulnerable individual. Additionally, it establishes that the proximity or accessibility of these substances, along with the presence of such substances in the bodily fluids of the vulnerable individual, can also be grounds for presumption of endangerment.

The bill clarifies that the new provisions will only apply to offenses committed on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025, ensuring that any offenses occurring prior to this date will be governed by the existing law. This approach allows for a clear transition to the new legal standards while maintaining the integrity of past legal proceedings.

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