Governor Greg Abbott has signed a new law aimed at protecting children from predators, inspired by the tragic case of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham.
On May 24, Governor Greg Abbott signed House Bill 2000, known as Audrii’s Law, clearing the final step in the legislative process.
WATCH: Finding Audrii: A story of tragic loss and lasting legacy
The legislation, authored by Rep. Trent Ashby and carried in the Senate by Sen. Robert Nichols, expands the list of crimes requiring mandatory sex offender registration in Texas.
Under Audrii’s Law, the offense of child grooming will now carry that requirement, a change Audrii‘s family and victim advocates say was long overdue.
“This bill carries the weight of the devastating tragedy in East Texas,” Nichols said during a committee hearing earlier this year. “We must do everything we can to protect our children from predators.”
PREVIOUS: ‘Audrii’s Law’ passes unanimously in the Texas House, heads to Senate
Audrii was kidnapped, sexually assaulted, and murdered in Feb. 2024 by Don Steven McDougal, a family friend with a history of crimes against children.
He was living in a trailer on her grandparents’ property near Lake Livingston at the time of her death. McDougal had previously taken a plea deal in a separate case involving a minor and, because of a legal loophole, was not required to register as a sex offender.
Audrii‘s family has spent the past year urging lawmakers to close that loophole, testifying in Austin about their loss and the changes they hoped to see.
“Had this bill been in place, he would never have been near our sweet baby,” Audrii‘s grandmother, Tabitha Munsch, told lawmakers in March. “I’m not asking, I’m begging that we close this loophole.”
With Audrii’s Law now signed, supporters hope it will prevent other families from experiencing a similar tragedy.
“We know this incident had a far-reaching impact across East Texas and the entire state,” said Andy Kahan, Director of Victim Services at Crime Stoppers of Houston. “The Sex Offender Registry is one of the only tools families have to protect innocent children. This law strengthens that.”
Audrii’s Law will officially go into effect on Sept. 1.
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