Relating to Prosecution and Punishment of Certain Criminal Offenses Prohibiting Sexually Explicit Visual Material Involving Depictions of Children, Computer-Generated Children, or Other Persons (SB 1621)
Texas · Tex. Penal Code (child sexual abuse material provisions) (SB 1621, 89th Leg., R.S. (2025))
This law rewrites Texas's child sexual abuse material statutes to account for AI and computer-generated imagery. It separately defines a 'depiction of a child' and a 'depiction of a computer-generated child,' and extends the offenses of possessing, electronically transmitting, and promoting such material to cover AI-generated images. It also updates penalty ranges and adds enhanced punishment for repeat offenders and offenders in positions of authority.
Technical detail
SB 1621 (89th Leg., R.S.) restructures the Texas Penal Code possession/promotion offenses for sexually explicit visual material involving children, adding distinct definitions for a 'depiction of a child' and a 'depiction of a computer-generated child' and adjusting offense levels and penalty ranges; offenses are felonies.
Who is protected: Minors, including real children whose likeness is used and children depicted via computer-generated/AI imagery.
Who must comply: Any person; the statute defines prohibited criminal conduct.
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Texas |
|---|---|
| Level | State |
| Status | In effect |
| Protection strength | Limited protection |
| Effective date | 2025-09-01 |
| Enacted | 2025-06-20 |
| Citation | Tex. Penal Code (child sexual abuse material provisions) (SB 1621, 89th Leg., R.S. (2025)) |
| Enforced by | Texas county and district attorneys; Texas law enforcement (criminal prosecution). |
| Private right of action | No — agency enforcement only |
| Penalties | Felony offenses; offense level and penalty range vary with the type and quantity of material, with enhancements for prior convictions and for offenders in a position of authority over the depicted child. |
| Topics | children's online safety · AI-generated images · deepfakes |
| Last verified | 2026-07-22 |
| Official source | Texas Legislature Online — SB 1621 (89R) Bill History ↗ |
More AI rules in Texas
- TX TDI Bulletin B-0003-26 (AI in insurance) · In effect
- Texas Gov. Abbott data center grid-connection audit freeze · In effect
- Texas SB 6 (Data Center Grid Law) · In effect
- TX SB 2205 (2017 AV statute) · In effect
- TX HB 912 (2013 drone privacy) · In effect
- TX HB 2700 — AI/Altered CSAM · In effect
Related children's online safety rules elsewhere
- PA v. Character.AI (Fake Psychiatrist Chatbot) · Blocked / in litigation
- RI AI Companion Self-Harm Safety (2026) · In effect
- Kids Internet and Digital Safety Act (KIDS Act) (H.R. 7757) · Proposed / pending
- Washington HB 2225 (AI chatbot disclosure, minor protections, crisis protocols) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- Oregon SB 1546 (AI companion chatbot disclosure + private right of action) · Enacted (not yet in effect)
- xAI v. Harwood (Grok NCII Counter-Suit 2026) · Blocked / in litigation
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