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Signed Into Law
Signed June 20, 2025Effective 2025-09-01
HB1902

Regular Session

Relating to creating the criminal offense of jugging.

Government Affairs & Regulatory Compliance Analysis

HB1902: Government Affairs Overview

HB1902 codifies "jugging" (following a customer from a bank or business to rob them) as a specific felony offense. For business owners and property managers, this statute establishes legal "foreseeability" regarding premises liability; if a customer is followed from your property and robbed, you face heightened negligence risks for failing to mitigate a statutorily defined hazard. Financial institutions, ATM operators, and high-volume cash retailers must treat this as an immediate risk management directive.

Rep. David Cook·House Bill·Regular Session

Low
Low Cost
Effective:2025-09-01
Business Impact

Who HB1902 Affects

This legislation has regulatory implications for the following Texas businesses and organizations:

Regulatory Priority: low

Standard regulatory changes (effective 2025-09-01). Review during normal business planning.

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Banking & Finance

Affected business types:

  • Banks
  • Credit unions
  • Financial services firms
  • Insurance companies
View all banking & finance legislation

Key Operational Considerations

  • 1Lease Agreements: Review commercial leases to clarify the division of responsibility between Landlord and Tenant regarding parking lot lighting and exterior camera maintenance.
  • 2Indemnification: Update vendor contracts to ensure indemnification if a guard fails to report or act on visible loitering that results in a customer injury.
  • 3Security Personnel: Guards require training on recognizing "jugging" indicators (idling vehicles with clear lines of sight to exits/ATMs) rather than general crime deterrence.

Estimated Cost Impact

lowMinimal cost impact anticipated.

Enforcing Agencies

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HB1902
Relating to creating the criminal offense of jugging.
Low Urgency
Passed with Opposition
House Vote140 - 2
YEA
99% in favor142 voting
Senate Vote31 - 0
YEA
100% in favor31 voting
2
Total Opposition Votes
Cost Impact
Low
Effective
2025-09-01
Enforcing Agencies
County/District AttorneysLocal Law Enforcement AgenciesTexas Department of Public Safety
Primary Author: Rep. David Cook
89th Texas Legislature
jdkey.com
01

Compliance Analysis

Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation

Implementation Timeline

  • Effective Date: September 1, 2025
  • Compliance Deadline: August 31, 2025 (Security protocols and camera adjustments must be operational before the law takes effect to establish duty of care).
  • Agency Rulemaking: None. This is a Penal Code amendment enforced by law enforcement and the courts, not a regulatory agency. Do not expect further guidance documents from the state.

Immediate Action Plan

  • Conduct a Lighting & Camera Audit: Ensure 100% video coverage of customer exit routes and parking lot egress points by Q2 2025.
  • Update Post Orders: Instruct security vendors to shift focus from interior assets to exterior perimeter monitoring immediately.
  • Review Insurance Coverage: Confirm your General Liability policy covers "off-premises" incidents if the chain of causation (the following) began on your property.
  • Post Signage: Install "Premises Under Surveillance" signage in parking areas to establish a baseline duty to warn.

Operational Changes Required

Contracts

  • Security Vendor MSAs: You must amend Master Service Agreements with guard services. Change the Scope of Work to explicitly require "counter-surveillance" patrols (identifying loitering vehicles backed into spaces) rather than just static presence.
  • Lease Agreements: Review commercial leases to clarify the division of responsibility between Landlord and Tenant regarding parking lot lighting and exterior camera maintenance.
  • Indemnification: Update vendor contracts to ensure indemnification if a guard fails to report or act on visible loitering that results in a customer injury.

Hiring/Training

  • Security Personnel: Guards require training on recognizing "jugging" indicators (idling vehicles with clear lines of sight to exits/ATMs) rather than general crime deterrence.
  • Staff Protocols: Frontline staff must be trained to call 911 immediately upon spotting suspicious loitering, specifically citing "Suspected Jugging under Penal Code 29.04" to trigger a priority police response.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

  • Video Retention: Extend video retention policies for exterior/parking lot cameras from standard 24-48 hours to a minimum of 30 days. Jugging investigations are retroactive; deleting footage destroys your primary defense against negligence claims.
  • Incident Logs: Maintain a specific log of "Suspicious Loitering/Following" incidents to demonstrate active monitoring of the premises.

Fees & Costs

  • Capital Expenditures: Budget immediately for high-definition exterior cameras capable of capturing license plates at exit points.
  • Insurance Premiums: Anticipate potential scrutiny on General Liability (GL) renewals; insurers may require proof of anti-jugging measures to maintain coverage limits.

Strategic Ambiguities & Considerations

  • "Commercial Business" Definition: The law applies to incidents originating at a "commercial business," but does not strictly define the term. Retailers with cash-back options, check cashing services, or high cash volume (e.g., convenience stores) should assume they are included and liable, not just banks.
  • "Criminal Instruments": The statute requires the perpetrator to possess criminal instruments. Security teams cannot legally determine this during observation. Business Logic: Ignore the "instrument" requirement for operational purposes; if the behavior (loitering/following) is present, initiate safety protocols immediately.

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Information presented is for general knowledge only and is provided without warranty, express or implied. Consult qualified government affairs professionals and legal counsel before making compliance decisions.

02

Legislative Timeline

This bill's path through the Texas Legislature

Filed
Jan 16, 2025
Passed House
May 7, 2025
Passed Senate
May 23, 2025
Signed
Jun 20, 2025
Effective
Sep 1, 2025
TopicsCrimesCrimes--against PersonsCrimes--against Persons--generalCriminal ProcedureCriminal Procedure--sentencing & PunishmentFinancialFinancial--banksFinancial--credit UnionsFinancial--generalAutomated Teller MachinesCredit Service Organizations
03

House Authors

Rep. David CookRepublican · Primary Author
Joint Authors
Coauthors (1)

Senate Sponsors

Sen. Joan HuffmanRepublican · Primary Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)

Bill Text(with markup)

View bill text in multiple formats on Texas Legislature website

Fiscal NoteView Original

Related Legislation

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More from Rep. David Cook

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Related by Topic

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Quick Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about HB1902

Q

What does Texas HB1902 do?

HB1902 codifies "jugging" (following a customer from a bank or business to rob them) as a specific felony offense. For business owners and property managers, this statute establishes legal "foreseeability" regarding premises liability; if a customer is followed from your property and robbed, you face heightened negligence risks for failing to mitigate a statutorily defined hazard. Financial institutions, ATM operators, and high-volume cash retailers must treat this as an immediate risk management directive.

Q

Who authored HB1902?

HB1902 was authored by Texas Representative David Cook during the Regular Session.

Q

When was HB1902 signed into law?

HB1902 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 20, 2025.

Q

Which agencies enforce HB1902?

HB1902 is enforced by County/District Attorneys, Local Law Enforcement Agencies and Texas Department of Public Safety.

Q

How significant are the changes in HB1902?

The regulatory priority for HB1902 is rated as "low". Businesses and organizations should review the legislation to understand potential impacts.

Q

What is the cost impact of HB1902?

The cost impact of HB1902 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.

Q

What topics does HB1902 address?

HB1902 addresses topics including crimes, crimes--against persons, crimes--against persons--general, criminal procedure and criminal procedure--sentencing & punishment.

Q

What are the key dates for HB1902?

Key dates for HB1902: Effective date is 2025-09-01. Consult with legal counsel regarding applicability.

Q

What are the penalties under HB1902?

HB1902 establishes the following penalties: criminal penalty of State Jail Felony (180 days to 2 years confinement; up to $10,000 fine) for Jugging: Knowingly following a person from a financial institution/business with intent to steal money while possessing 2+ criminal instruments.; criminal penalty of 3rd Degree Felony (2 to 10 years imprisonment; up to $10,000 fine) for Jugging committed while also committing Burglary of a Vehicle (Sec. 30.04).; criminal penalty of 1st Degree Felony (5 to 99 years or life imprisonment; up to $10,000 fine) for Jugging committed while also committing Robbery (Sec. 29.02).. Consult with legal counsel for specific applicability to your situation.

Need Strategic Guidance on This Legislation?

JD Key Consulting is an Austin, Texas-based government affairs firm led by James Dickey, former Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas. We specialize in Texas regulatory compliance and legislative strategy for data centers, energy, banking, and manufacturing.

Legislative data provided by LegiScanLast updated: January 11, 2026