Relating to the prosecution of the offense of smuggling of persons.

HB 2331 amends Texas Penal Code Section 20.05(a) to clarify and expand the definition of smuggling persons. It directly affects individuals who transport people or facilitate illegal entry into Texas, including those using vehicles to evade law enforcement or conceal migrants. Key provisions criminalize: (1) using conveyance to hide from officers or flee arrest, (2) encouraging illegal entry through concealment or harboring, and (3) guiding multiple people onto agricultural land without the owner’s consent. The law creates new criminal penalties for these specific smuggling activities, effective September 1, 2025.