TX SB1306

Raises the age of criminal responsibility in Texas from 17 to 18 years old, effective September 1, 2027, meaning 17-year-olds will be processed through the juvenile justice system rather than adult criminal courts

Extends juvenile court jurisdiction to cover individuals ages 10-17 (up from 10-16), with continued jurisdiction over those 18-19 who committed offenses before turning 18 and remain under court supervision

Updates multiple Penal Code provisions to reflect the new age threshold, including offenses related to criminal street gang activity, continuous sexual abuse of children, and online solicitation of minors

Modifies juvenile probation and detention provisions, extending automatic termination of dispositions to age 19 (from 18) and allowing determinate sentence probation to continue until age 20 (from 19)

Establishes an advisory committee appointed by the Texas Juvenile Justice Board by December 1, 2025 to monitor implementation, including juvenile court judges, probation officers, prosecutors, defense attorneys, and advocates, which expires June 1, 2028