TX HB418

Expands the definition of "visual material" in Texas Penal Code to explicitly include "a file in any digital format" alongside physical media like disks and diskettes

Restructures penalty enhancements for possession of child pornography: second-degree felony for one prior conviction OR possessing 10-49 images; first-degree felony for two or more prior convictions OR possessing 50+ images OR material depicting sexual assault of a child

Increases penalties for promoting child pornography: first-degree felony with 15-year minimum for prior conviction, possessing 50+ images, or material depicting sexual assault

Extends coverage to AI-generated imagery by including depictions created using artificial intelligence that are "virtually indistinguishable from an actual child younger than 18 years of age," even if not based on a real child's image

Raises minimum confinement to 15 years when material depicts a child younger than 10 years old for second and third-degree felony offenses elevated under this provision

Effective date: September 1, 2025, applying only to offenses committed on or after that date