What Texas law are there on hate crimes?

In Texas, hate crimes are addressed under the Texas Penal Code, specifically Section 71.0021, which enhances penalties for offenses motivated by bias or prejudice against a person's race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, disability, or other characteristics. If a crime is found to be a hate crime, the punishment can be increased by one degree, meaning that a third-degree felony could be elevated to a second-degree felony, for example. Victims of hate crimes may also have access to additional resources and support through various state programs. Additionally, Texas law requires law enforcement agencies to report hate crime data annually to the FBI.