Penal Code § 12.42

Sec. 12.42. PENALTIES FOR REPEAT AND HABITUAL FELONY OFFENDERS ON TRIAL FOR FIRST, SECOND, OR THIRD DEGREE FELONY. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (c)(2), if it is shown on the trial of a felony of the third degree that the defendant has previously been finally convicted of a felony other than a state jail felony punishable under Section 12.35(a), on conviction the defendant shall be punished for a felony of the second degree. (b) Except as provided by Subsection (c)(2) or (c)(4), if it is shown on the trial of a felony of the second degree that the defendant has previously been finally convicted of a felony other than a state jail felony punishable under Section 12.35(a), on conviction the defendant shall be punished for a felony of the first degree. (c)(1) If it is shown on the trial of a felony of the first degree that the defendant has previously been finally convicted of a felony other than a state jail felony punishable under Section 12.35(a), on conviction the defendant shall be punished by imprisonment in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for life, or for any term of not more than 99 years or less than 15 years. In addition to imprisonment, an individual may be punished by a fine not to exceed $10,000. (2) Notwithstanding Subdivision (1), a defendant shall be punished by imprisonment in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for life if: (A) the defendant is convicted of an offense: (i) under Section 20A.02(a)(7) or (8), 21.11(a)(1), 22.021, or 22.011, Penal Code; (ii) under Section 20.04(a)(4), Penal Code, if the defendant committed the offense with the intent to violate or abuse the victim sexually; or (iii) under Section 30.02, Penal Code, punishable under Subsection (d) of that section, if the defendant committed the offense with the intent to commit a felony described by Subparagraph (i) or (ii) or a felony under Section 21.11, Penal Code; and (B) the defendant has been previously convicted of an offense: (i) under Section 43.25 or 43.26, Penal Code, or an offense under Section 43.23, Penal Code, punishable under Subsection (h) of that section; (ii) under Section 20A.02(a)(7) or (8), 21.02, 21.03, 21.11, 22.011, 22.021, or 25.02, Penal Code; (iii) under Section 20.04(a)(4), Penal Code, if the defendant committed the offense with the intent to violate or abuse the victim sexually; (iv) under Section 30.02, Penal Code, punishable under Subsection (d) of that section, if the defendant committed the offense with the intent to commit a felony described by Subparagraph (ii) or (iii); or (v) under the laws of another state containing elements that are substantially similar to the elements of an offense listed in Subparagraph (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv). (3) Notwithstanding Subdivision (1) or (2), a defendant shall be punished for a capital felony if it is shown on the trial of an offense under Section 22.021 otherwise punishable under Subsection (f) of that section that the defendant has previously been finally convicted of: (A) an offense under Section 22.021 that was committed against a victim described by Section 22.021(f)(1) or was committed against a victim described by Section 22.021(f)(2) and in a manner described by Section 22.021(a)(2)(A); or (B) an offense that was committed under the laws of another state that: (i) contains elements that are substantially similar to the elements of an offense under Section 22.021; and (ii) was committed against a victim described by Section 22.021(f)(1) or was committed against a victim described by Section 22.021(f)(2) and in a manner substantially similar to a manner described by Section 22.021(a)(2)(A). (4) Notwithstanding Subdivision (1) or (2), and except as provided by Subdivision (3) for the trial of an offense under Section 22.021 as described by that subdivision, a defendant shall be punished by imprisonment in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for life without parole if it is shown on the trial of an offense under Section 20A.03 or of a sexually violent offense, committed by the defendant on or after the defendant's 18th birthday, that the defendant has previously been finally convicted of: (A) an offense under Section 20A.03 or of a sexually violent offense; or (B) an offense that was committed under the laws of another state and that contains elements that are substantially similar to the elements of an offense under Section 20A.03 or of a sexually violent offense. (5) A previous conviction for a state jail felony punishable under Section 12.35(a) may not be used for enhancement purposes under Subdivision (2). (d) Except as provided by Subsection (c)(2), (c)(4), or (e), if it is shown on the trial of a felony offense other than a state jail felony punishable under Section 12.35(a) that the defendant has previously been finally convicted of two felony offenses, and the second previous felony conviction is for an offense that occurred subsequent to the first previous conviction having become final, on conviction the defendant shall be punished by imprisonment in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for life, or for any term of not more than 99 years or less than 25 years. A previous conviction for a state jail felony punishable under Section 12.35(a) may not be used for enhancement purposes under this subsection. (e) Notwithstanding Subsection (c) or (d), if it is shown on the trial of a felony offense other than a state jail felony punishable under Section 12.35(a) that the defendant was civilly committed as a sexually violent predator under Chapter 841, Health and Safety Code, at the time of the offense, on conviction the defendant shall be punished by imprisonment in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for life, or for any term of not more than 99 years or less than 25 years. (f) For the purposes of Subsections (a), (b), and (c)(1), an adjudication by a juvenile court under Section 54.03, Family Code, that a child engaged in delinquent conduct on or after January 1, 1996, constituting a felony offense for which the child is committed to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department under Section 54.04(d)(2), (d)(3), or (m), Family Code, or Section 54.05(f), Family Code, or to a post-adjudication secure correctional facility under Section 54.04011, Family Code, is a final felony conviction. (g) For the purposes of Subsection (c)(2): (1) a defendant has been previously convicted of an offense listed under Subsection (c)(2)(B) if the defendant was adjudged guilty of the offense or entered a plea of guilty or nolo contendere in return for a grant of deferred adjudication, regardless of whether the sentence for the offense was ever imposed or whether the sentence was probated and the defendant was subsequently discharged from community supervision; and (2) a conviction under the laws of another state for an offense containing elements that are substantially similar to the elements of an offense listed under Subsection (c)(2)(B) is a conviction of an offense listed under Subsection (c)(2)(B). (h) In this section, "sexually violent offense" means an offense: (1) described by Article 62.001(6), Code of Criminal Procedure; and (2) for which an affirmative finding has been entered under Article 42.015(b) or 42A.105(a), Code of Criminal Procedure, for an offense other than an offense under Section 21.02 or 22.021. Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 883, ch. 399, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974. Amended by Acts 1983, 68th Leg., p. 1750, ch. 339, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1983; Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 582, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1985; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 1.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1994; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 250, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 262, Sec. 78, eff. Jan. 1, 1996; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 318, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1996; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 665, Sec. 1, 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 667, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 62, Sec. 15.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 283, Sec. 53, eff. Sept. 1, 2003; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1005, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 2003. Amended by: Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 340 (S.B. 75), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007. Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 340 (S.B. 75), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2007. Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 340 (S.B. 75), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2007. Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 340 (S.B. 75), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2007. Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 593 (H.B. 8), Sec. 1.14, eff. September 1, 2007. Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 593 (H.B. 8), Sec. 1.15, eff. September 1, 2007. Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 87 (S.B. 1969), Sec. 25.150, eff. September 1, 2009. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 24), Sec. 6.02, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 122 (H.B. 3000), Sec. 14, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 834 (H.B. 3384), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 834 (H.B. 3384), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 834 (H.B. 3384), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 834 (H.B. 3384), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 834 (H.B. 3384), Sec. 6, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1119 (H.B. 3), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1119 (H.B. 3), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 161 (S.B. 1093), Sec. 16.003, eff. September 1, 2013. Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 663 (H.B. 1302), Sec. 7, eff. September 1, 2013. Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 663 (H.B. 1302), Sec. 8, eff. September 1, 2013. Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 663 (H.B. 1302), Sec. 9, eff. September 1, 2013. Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1323 (S.B. 511), Sec. 11, eff. December 1, 2013. Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 770 (H.B. 2299), Sec. 2.82, eff. January 1, 2017. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 557 (H.B. 1422), Sec. 14, eff. September 1, 2025. Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1145 (S.B. 1610), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2025.