Tex. Penal Code § 42.11 · Chapter 42. DISORDERLY CONDUCT AND RELATED OFFENSES
DESTRUCTION OF FLAG.
Text — Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
(a) A person commits an offense if the person intentionally or knowingly damages, defaces, mutilates, or burns the flag of the United States or the State of Texas.
(b) In this section, "flag" means an emblem, banner, or other standard or a copy of an emblem, standard, or banner that is an official or commonly recognized depiction of the flag of the United States or of this state and is capable of being flown from a staff of any character or size. The term does not include a representation of a flag on a written or printed document, a periodical, stationery, a painting or photograph, or an article of clothing or jewelry.
(c) It is an exception to the application of this section that the act that would otherwise constitute an offense is done in conformity with statutes of the United States or of this state relating to the proper disposal of damaged flags.
(d) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.
Notes and commentary — not statutory text
History
Added by Acts 1989, 71st Leg., 1st C.S., ch. 27, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Renumbered from Penal Code Sec. 42.14 by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 1.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1994.
Source of truth
- Edition
- Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
- Official file
- https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/PE/htm/PE.42.htm
- Text hash
- sha256 e0f95e4b93948f02f3f51d97032f53f69c07dd9f83f8def76d810eb6f96d5035
- Composed by
- compose_tx.py 2026-10-05: the Legislative Council's chapter files read in document order; verify_tx.py's independent reading (lxml DOM walk) agrees character for character
Procedural information only. Not legal advice and not a substitute for the advice of an attorney. Confirm the current text with the official publisher before relying on it.