4 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in Travis County, Texas.
Verified from official government sources
Travis County and Austin prohibit aggressive panhandling such as touching, blocking paths, or soliciting at ATMs and bus stops, while passive sign-holding remains protected speech under federal court rulings.
Tex. Penal Code Sec. 42.03
Sec. 42.03. OBSTRUCTING HIGHWAY OR OTHER PASSAGEWAY. (a) A person commits an offense if, without legal privilege or authority, he intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly: (1) obstructs a highway, street, sidewalk, railway, waterway, elevator, aisle, hallway, entrance, or exit to which the public or a substantial group of the public has access; or (2) disobeys a reasonable request or order to mo...
Travis County enforces Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 161 indoor smoking restrictions and Austin city ordinances banning smoking in workplaces, restaurants, bars, and outdoor patios within city limits, including e-cigarette use.
Marijuana possession and public use remain illegal under Texas Health and Safety Code Chapter 481 across Travis County, though Austin Proposition A (2022) deprioritized low-level possession arrests within Austin city limits.
Tex. Health & Safety Code Sec. 481.121
Sec. 481.121. OFFENSE: POSSESSION OF MARIHUANA. (a) Except as authorized by this chapter, a person commits an offense if the person knowingly or intentionally possesses a usable quantity of marihuana. (b) An offense under Subsection (a) is: (1) a Class B misdemeanor if the amount of marihuana possessed is two ounces or less; (2) a Class A misdemeanor if the amount of marihuana possessed is four...
Travis County prohibits public consumption of alcohol in county parks and on the Highland Lakes shoreline by ordinance, while broader open container rules in vehicles follow Texas Penal Code Section 49.031 statewide.
Tex. Penal Code Sec. 49.02
Sec. 49.02. PUBLIC INTOXICATION. (a) A person commits an offense if the person appears in a public place while intoxicated to the degree that the person may endanger the person or another. (a-1) For the purposes of this section, a premises licensed or permitted under the Alcoholic Beverage Code is a public place. (b) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that the alcohol or other su...
1 cities in Travis County have their own public conduct rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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