GOVERNMENT CODE

TITLE 5. OPEN GOVERNMENT; ETHICS

SUBTITLE A. OPEN GOVERNMENT

CHAPTER 557. SEDITION, SABOTAGE, AND COMMUNISM

SUBCHAPTER A. SEDITION

Sec. 557.001. SEDITION. (a) A person commits an offense if the person knowingly:

(1) commits, attempts to commit, or conspires with one or more persons to commit an act intended to overthrow, destabilize, destroy, or alter the constitutional form of government of this state or of any political subdivision of this state by force, violence, or a threat of force or violence;

(2) under circumstances that constitute a clear and present danger to the security of this state or a political subdivision of this state, advocates, advises, or teaches or conspires with one or more persons to advocate, advise, or teach a person to commit or attempt to commit an act described in Subdivision (1); or

(3) participates, with knowledge of the nature of the organization, in the management of an organization that engages in or attempts to engage in an act intended to overthrow, destabilize, destroy, or alter the constitutional form of government of this state or of any political subdivision of this state by force or violence.

(b) An offense under this section is a felony punishable by:

(1) a fine not to exceed $20,000;

(2) confinement in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for a term of not less than one year or more than 20 years; or

(3) both fine and imprisonment.

(b-1) Notwithstanding Section 15.02(d), Penal Code, a conspiracy to commit an offense under this section is punishable in the same manner as an offense under this section.

(c) A person convicted of an offense under this section may not receive community supervision under Chapter 42A, Code of Criminal Procedure.

Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.

Amended by:

Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 87 (S.B. 1969), Sec. 25.072, eff. September 1, 2009.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 770 (H.B. 2299), Sec. 2.60, eff. January 1, 2017.

Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 462 (S.B. 1900), Sec. 17, eff. September 1, 2023.