PENAL CODE

TITLE 2. GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY

CHAPTER 7. CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR CONDUCT OF ANOTHER

SUBCHAPTER A. COMPLICITY

Sec. 7.01.  PARTIES TO OFFENSES.  (a)  A person is criminally responsible as a party to an offense if the offense is committed by his own conduct, by the conduct of another for which he is criminally responsible, or by both.
(b)  Each party to an offense may be charged with commission of the offense.
(c)  All traditional distinctions between accomplices and principals are abolished by this section, and each party to an offense may be charged and convicted without alleging that he acted as a principal or accomplice.
Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 883, ch. 399, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974.  Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 1.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1994.

Sec. 7.02.  CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR CONDUCT OF ANOTHER.  (a)  A person is criminally responsible for an offense committed by the conduct of another if:
(1)  acting with the kind of culpability required for the offense, he causes or aids an innocent or nonresponsible person to engage in conduct prohibited by the definition of the offense;
(2)  acting with intent to promote or assist the commission of the offense, he solicits, encourages, directs, aids, or attempts to aid the other person to commit the offense;  or
(3)  having a legal duty to prevent commission of the offense and acting with intent to promote or assist its commission, he fails to make a reasonable effort to prevent commission of the offense.
(b)  If, in the attempt to carry out a conspiracy to commit one felony, another felony is committed by one of the conspirators, all conspirators are guilty of the felony actually committed, though having no intent to commit it, if the offense was committed in furtherance of the unlawful purpose and was one that should have been anticipated as a result of the carrying out of the conspiracy. In this subsection, "conspiracy" means an agreement between two or more persons to commit a felony. 
Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 883, ch. 399, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974.  Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 1.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1994.
Amended by: 
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 735 (H.B. 2961), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2023.

Sec. 7.03.  DEFENSES EXCLUDED.  In a prosecution in which an actor's criminal responsibility is based on the conduct of another, the actor may be convicted on proof of commission of the offense and that he was a party to its commission, and it is no defense:
(1)  that the actor belongs to a class of persons that by definition of the offense is legally incapable of committing the offense in an individual capacity;  or
(2)  that the person for whose conduct the actor is criminally responsible has been acquitted, has not been prosecuted or convicted, has been convicted of a different offense or of a different type or class of offense, or is immune from prosecution.
Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 883, ch. 399, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974.  Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 1.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1994.

SUBCHAPTER B.  CORPORATIONS, ASSOCIATIONS, LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANIES, AND OTHER BUSINESS ENTITIES

Sec. 7.21.  DEFINITIONS.  In this subchapter:
(1)  "Agent" means a director, officer, employee, or other person authorized to act in behalf of a corporation, an association, a limited liability company, or another business entity.
(1-a)  "Business entity" means an entity or organization governed by the Business Organizations Code, other than a corporation, association, or limited liability company.
(2)  "High managerial agent" means:
(A)  a partner in a partnership;
(B)  an officer of a corporation, an association, a limited liability company, or another business entity;
(C)  an agent of a corporation, an association, a limited liability company, or another business entity who has duties of such responsibility that the agent's conduct reasonably may be assumed to represent the policy of the corporation, association, limited liability company, or other business entity.
Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 883, ch. 399, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974.  Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 1.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1994.
Amended by: 
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 112 (S.B. 1258), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2019.

Sec. 7.22.  CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY OF CORPORATION, ASSOCIATION, LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, OR OTHER BUSINESS ENTITY.  (a)  If conduct constituting an offense is performed by an agent acting in behalf of a corporation, an association, a limited liability company, or another business entity and within the scope of the agent's office or employment, the corporation, association, limited liability company, or other business entity is criminally responsible for an offense defined:
(1)  in this code where corporations, associations, limited liability companies, and other business entities are made subject thereto;
(2)  by law other than this code in which a legislative purpose to impose criminal responsibility on corporations, associations, limited liability companies, and other business entities plainly appears; or
(3)  by law other than this code for which strict liability is imposed, unless a legislative purpose not to impose criminal responsibility on corporations, associations, limited liability companies, or other business entities plainly appears.
(b)  A corporation, an association, a limited liability company, or another business entity is criminally responsible for a felony offense only if its commission was authorized, requested, commanded, performed, or recklessly tolerated by:
(1)  a majority of the governing body acting in behalf of the corporation, association, limited liability company, or other business entity; or
(2)  a high managerial agent acting in behalf of the corporation, association, limited liability company, or other business entity and within the scope of the agent's office or employment.
Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 883, ch. 399, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974.  Amended by Acts 1975, 64th Leg., p. 913, ch. 342, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1975;  Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 1.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1994.
Amended by: 
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 112 (S.B. 1258), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2019.

Sec. 7.23.  CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY OF PERSON FOR CONDUCT IN BEHALF OF CORPORATION, ASSOCIATION, LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, OR OTHER BUSINESS ENTITY.  (a)  An individual is criminally responsible for conduct that the individual performs in the name of or in behalf of a corporation, an association, a limited liability company, or another business entity to the same extent as if the conduct were performed in the individual's own name or behalf.
(b)  An agent having primary responsibility for the discharge of a duty to act imposed by law on a corporation, an association, a limited liability company, or another business entity is criminally responsible for omission to discharge the duty to the same extent as if the duty were imposed by law directly on the agent.
(c)  If an individual is convicted of conduct constituting an offense performed in the name of or on behalf of a corporation, an association, a limited liability company, or another business entity, the individual is subject to the sentence authorized by law for an individual convicted of the offense.
Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 883, ch. 399, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974.  Amended by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 1.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1994.
Amended by: 
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 112 (S.B. 1258), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2019.

Sec. 7.24.  DEFENSE TO CRIMINAL RESPONSIBILITY OF  CORPORATION, ASSOCIATION, LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, OR OTHER BUSINESS ENTITY.  It is an affirmative defense to prosecution of a corporation, an association, a limited liability company, or another business entity under Section 7.22(a)(1) or (a)(2) that the high managerial agent having supervisory responsibility over the subject matter of the offense employed due diligence to prevent its commission.
Acts 1973, 63rd Leg., p. 883, ch. 399, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1974.  Amended by Acts 1975, 64th Leg., p. 913, ch. 342, Sec. 5, eff. Sept. 1, 1975;  Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 900, Sec. 1.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1994.
Amended by: 
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 112 (S.B. 1258), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2019.