New Texas Law Requires Grooming Offenders to Register as Sex Offenders

On Saturday, Governor Greg Abbott enacted Audrii’s Law, representing a crucial legislative measure aimed at addressing child grooming offenses in Texas. House Bill 2000 mandates that individuals convicted of child grooming must register as sex offenders. Starting September 1, 2025, the new law will officially take effect.

A bill has been introduced in response to the tragic murder of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham in 2024, a case that has sent shockwaves throughout both the state and the nation. 

On February 15, 2024, the disappearance of Audrii prompted the issuance of an AMBER Alert. The body was subsequently discovered in the Trinity River close to Highway 59 in Livingston, Texas.

Don Steven McDougal, a 42-year-old family acquaintance residing in a trailer behind Audrii’s home, has been arrested and has subsequently pleaded guilty to capital murder. A life sentence without the possibility of parole has been imposed on him. McDougal, who was convicted in 2007 for enticing a child, was not mandated to register as a sex offender as a result of a plea bargain. Audrii’s Law aims to address and rectify the existing legal gap.

The recent legislation categorizes offenses such as enticing a child under the umbrella of child grooming, which will now mandate automatic sex offender registration upon conviction.

“This legislation guarantees that individuals who engage in the grooming of children will be held fully accountable,” Abbott stated at the signing of the bill.

Lawmakers and advocates have rallied behind the measure, asserting that previous loopholes permitted predators such as McDougal to evade inclusion on the sex offender registry.

Audrii’s family has voiced their appreciation for the legislation, stating that it serves to honor her memory while safeguarding other children from experiencing similar tragedies.

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