Texas Health and Safety Code
§ 81.089 — TRANSPORTATION; CRIMINAL PENALTY
HS § 81.089Title 2. HEALTH · Part D. PREVENTION, CONTROL, AND REPORTS OF DISEASES; PUBLIC HEALTH DISASTERS AND EMERGENCIES · Ch. 81. COMMUNICABLE DISEASES; PUBLIC HEALTH DISASTERS; PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES · Art. E. CONTROL; PUBLIC HEALTH DISASTERS; PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCIES
Statute text
View on source(a)A person commits an offense if, before notifying the department or health authority at a port of entry or a place of first landing or first arrival in this state, the person knowingly or intentionally:
(1)transports or causes to be transported into this state an object the person knows or suspects may be infected or contaminated with a communicable disease that is a threat to the public health;
(2)transports or causes to be transported into this state an individual who the person knows has or is the carrier of a communicable disease that is a threat to the public health; or
(3)transports or causes to be transported into this state a person, animal, or object in a private or common carrier or a private conveyance that the person knows is or suspects may be infected or contaminated with a communicable disease that is a threat to the public health.
(b)An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor, except that if the person acts with the intent to harm or defraud another, the offense is a felony of the third degree.
Legislative history
Acts 1989, 71st Leg., ch. 678, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1989. Amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 198, Sec. 2.185, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.