Texas Senate passes bill setting mandatory prison sentences for gun crimes

AUSTIN, Texas - A bill aimed at beefing up prison sentences for criminals committing gun crimes is moving forward at the Texas Capitol.

Senate Bill 23, which would create a mandatory 10-year prison sentence for criminals who commit gun crimes, was passed by the Texas Senate on Wednesday, April 5.

Proposed bill mandates 10-year prison sentence for gun crimes

Proponents of Senate Bill 23 say it would deter gun related violence. Criminal defense attorneys warn of "unintended consequences" if the automatic enhancement becomes law.

The bill, originally introduced by Senator Joan Huffman (R-Houston), will move on to the House for review. If passed by the House, the bill will move on to be signed into law by Governor Abbott.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick issued this statement following the Senate's bipartisan passage of the bill:

"Before this session, I came up with the idea for SB 23 to keep guns out of the hands of criminals. Texans believe in the rule of law and know that criminals who use firearms while committing crimes must be punished to the full extent of the law. SB 23 makes it very clear that if any criminal uses a gun while committing a crime, they will face steep consequences."