Tex. Penal Code § 43.251 · Subchapter B. OBSCENITY
EMPLOYMENT HARMFUL TO CHILDREN.
Text — Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
(a) In this section:
(1) "Child" means a person younger than 21 years of age.
(2) "Massage" has the meaning assigned to the term "massage therapy" by Section 455.001, Occupations Code.
(3) "Massage establishment" has the meaning assigned by Section 455.001, Occupations Code.
(4) "Nude" means a child who is:
(A) entirely unclothed; or
(B) clothed in a manner that leaves uncovered or visible through less than fully opaque clothing any portion of the breasts below the top of the areola of the breasts, if the child is female, or any portion of the genitals or buttocks.
(5) "Sexually oriented commercial activity" means a massage establishment, nude studio, modeling studio, love parlor, or other similar commercial enterprise the primary business of which is the offering of a service that is intended to provide sexual stimulation or sexual gratification to the customer.
(6) "Topless" means a female child clothed in a manner that leaves uncovered or visible through less than fully opaque clothing any portion of her breasts below the top of the areola.
(b) A person commits an offense if the person employs, authorizes, or induces a child to work:
(1) in a sexually oriented commercial activity; or
(2) in any place of business permitting, requesting, or requiring a child to work nude or topless.
Text of subsection as amended by Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 685 (H.B. 29), Sec. 42
(c) An offense under this section is a felony of the second degree, except that the offense is a felony of the first degree if the child is younger than 14 years of age at the time the offense is committed, regardless of whether the actor knows the age of the child at the time of the offense.
Text of subsection as amended by Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1038 (H.B. 1808), Sec. 13
(c) An offense under this section is a felony of the second degree, except that the offense is a felony of the first degree if the victim is younger than 14 years of age at the time the offense is committed, regardless of whether the actor knows the age of the victim at the time of the offense.
Text of subsection as added by Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 685 (H.B. 29), Sec. 42
(d) Conduct under this section constitutes an offense regardless of whether the actor knows the age of the child at the time of the offense.
Text of subsection as added by Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1038 (H.B. 1808), Sec. 13
(d) Conduct under this section constitutes an offense regardless of whether the actor knows the age of the victim at the time of the offense.
Notes and commentary — not statutory text
History
Added by Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 783, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 31, 1987. Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 1.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1994; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1420, Sec. 14.832, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.
Amended by:
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 515 (H.B. 2014), Sec. 4.03, eff. September 1, 2011.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 938 (H.B. 290), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2011.
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1252 (H.B. 8), Sec. 18, eff. September 1, 2013.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 685 (H.B. 29), Sec. 42, eff. September 1, 2017.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1038 (H.B. 1808), Sec. 13, eff. September 1, 2017.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 79 (S.B. 315), Sec. 8, eff. May 24, 2021.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 942 (S.B. 766), Sec. 8, eff. September 1, 2021.
Source of truth
- Edition
- Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
- Official file
- https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/PE/htm/PE.43.htm
- Text hash
- sha256 5e86fc1bd9d62300db65561842975408d6670752833bd8acf4ae37b934e21d38
- 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
This section cites
Provisions in this library that the text above cites, as it prints each citation. A range cited as “ss. 61.13-61.16” links its first and last provisions.
Cited by 6 provisions
Provisions in this library whose text cites Tex. Penal Code § 43.251. Each shows the citation as that text prints it.
Civil Practice and Remedies Code
Code of Criminal Procedure
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 56B.003DEFINITIONS.Printed as Section 20A.02, 20A.03, 43.03, 43.031, 43.032, 43.04, 43.041, 43.05, 43.25, 43.251, or 43.26, Penal Code
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 58.051DEFINITIONS.Printed as Section 20A.02, 20A.03, 43.03, 43.031, 43.032, 43.04, 43.041, 43.05, 43.25, 43.251, or 43.26, Penal Code
- Tex. Code Crim. Proc. art. 102.0186FINE FOR CERTAIN CHILD SEXUAL ASSAULT AND RELATED CONVICTIONS.Printed as Section 21.02, 21.11, 22.011(a)(2), 22.021(a)(1)(B), 43.25, 43.251, or 43.26, Penal Code
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