TX HB4919

Raises the minimum age for juvenile court jurisdiction from 10 to 13 years old for most offenses, meaning children under 13 cannot be prosecuted or held criminally responsible for general delinquent conduct

Creates an exception allowing juvenile courts to retain jurisdiction over children ages 10-12 only for serious violent offenses, including murder, capital murder, aggravated assault, sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, arson, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated robbery, manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, indecency with a child, and continuous sexual abuse

Establishes a new hearing process where prosecutors must petition the court within 30 days to determine whether the juvenile court should waive jurisdiction over a child under 13, considering whether less restrictive interventions are available and sufficient

Increases the presumption of incapacity age range from 10-14 to 13-14 years old for certain offenses, requiring prosecutors to prove by preponderance of evidence that the child understood the conduct was wrong

Requires the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement, Texas School Safety Center, Texas Juvenile Justice Department, and Supreme Court of Texas Children's Commission to update training materials to reflect these changes, with an effective date of September 1, 2025