AI-assisted research summary: It is an offense to take or offer benefits to influence an athlete’s enrollment or intercollegiate athletics participation, with exceptions and penalty levels based on the benefit’s value.
Sec. 32.441. ILLEGAL RECRUITMENT OF AN ATHLETE. (a) A person commits an offense if, without the consent of the governing body or a designee of the governing body of an institution of higher education, the person intentionally or knowingly solicits, accepts, or agrees to accept any benefit from another on an agreement or understanding that the benefit will influence the conduct of the person in enrolling in the institution and participating in intercollegiate athletics. (b) A person commits an offense if he offers, confers, or agrees to confer any benefit the acceptance of which is an offense under Subsection (a). (c) It is an exception to prosecution under this section that the person offering, conferring, or agreeing to confer a benefit and the person soliciting, accepting, or agreeing to accept a benefit are related within the second degree of consanguinity or affinity, as determined under Chapter 573, Government Code. (d) It is an exception to prosecution under Subsection (a) that, not later than the 60th day after the date the person accepted or agreed to accept a benefit, the person contacted a law enforcement agency and furnished testimony or evidence about the offense. (e) An offense under this section is a: (1) Class C misdemeanor if the value of the benefit is less than $100; (2) Class B misdemeanor if the value of the benefit is $100 or more but less than $750; (3) Class A misdemeanor if the value of the benefit is $750 or more but less than $2,500; (4) state jail felony if the value of the benefit is $2,500 or more but less than $30,000; (5) felony of the third degree if the value of the benefit is $30,000 or more but less than $150,000; (6) felony of the second degree if the value of the benefit is $150,000 or more but less than $300,000; or (7) felony of the first degree if the value of the benefit is $300,000 or more. Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 125, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Amended by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 561, Sec. 41, eff. Aug. 26, 1991; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 1.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1994; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, Sec. 5.95(27), eff. Sept. 1, 1995. Amended by: Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1251 (H.B. 1396), Sec. 20, eff. September 1, 2015.