The legal age of consent in Texas is 17. This means that once a person turns 17, the law presumes they are able to give consent for sexual activity. It is illegal to have sex with a person under the age of 17, even if the younger individual agreed to the sexual activity or lied about their age. The Texas Penal Code Section 21.11 prohibits sexual conduct with a child younger than the age of 17, and Penal Code Section 22.011 defines sexual assault of a child and defines a child as anyone under the age of 17. The Romeo and Juliet law in Texas provides some protection for minors who want to engage in a consensual sexual relationship. For example, if an 18-year-old and 16-year-old have a sexual relationship, the 18-year-old would not be prosecuted because there is not more than a three-year age gap between the couple. However, if a 20-year-old were to have a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old, then the 20-year-old could face criminal charges. It is important to note that age of consent laws vary across the United States, and not all states share the same age of consent.