Gov. Greg Abbott announced that House Bill 28 (HB28), which he approved earlier this year, has passed and took effect on Sept. 1, increasing the penalty for criminals who cause life-altering injuries to their victims.
"Too many Texans have suffered life-altering injuries at the hands of violent offenders," Abbott tweeted.
In early June of this year, Abbott passed a total of eight bills during the 88th Regular Legislative Session. The common theme of these bills is to heighten and defend public safety, according to a press release. Comprehensively, these bills seek to support law enforcement’s rights, admonish prosecutors for failure to prosecute certain offenses and punish street racers. These bills also establish a grant program and defend healthcare workers.
“One thing we can all agree upon is providing resources that will make our communities safer,” Abbott said.
Texas House Bill 28 was passed on June 2 and became effective earlier this month. Also called the Todd-Hogland Act, this law seeks to give a greater punishment to criminals, especially to those who leave their victim with irreversible permanent damage. This act bumps a second-degree felony up to a first-degree on multiple grounds, including if the assaulter uses a deadly weapon as part of his or her attack and if a traumatic brain or spinal injury ensues. This also covers if the victim is a public servant acting on their duty or if they are a security officer also following through on their duties. The punishments of this Act apply only to offenses that happen on or after HB28 has been put into effect.
House Bill 28 is referred to as the Todd-Hogland Act because in 2010, mom Brandi Todd brought her children to a park and while she sat on a bench watching them, Michael Howard came up behind her and stabbed her in the spine leaving her paralyzed for life. Howard confessed to struggling with mental health issues and thus was sentenced to 20 years in prison. His charges were for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Years after this, a stranger mistook university student Jamie Hogland’s apartment for a drug dealer’s house and she was subsequently shot in the face. Because he was a stranger, he was only sentenced to 20 years or less in prison. This loophole that if a criminal was a stranger to their victim was found and fought by State Rep. Shelby Slawson who began the process of getting HB28 passed, NBC DFW reported.
