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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to increasing the criminal penalty for certain conduct |
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constituting the offense of trafficking of persons. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 20A.02(b-1), Penal Code, as amended by |
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Chapters 451 (H.B. 3553) and 452 (H.B. 3554), Acts of the 88th |
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Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, is reenacted and amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b-1) An offense under this section is a felony of the first |
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degree punishable by imprisonment in the Texas Department of |
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Criminal Justice for life or for a term of not more than 99 years or |
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less than 25 years if it is shown on the trial of the offense that |
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the actor committed any part of the offense [in a location that |
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was]: |
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(1) on the premises of or within 1,000 feet of the |
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premises of: |
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(A) a school or a school bus stop or other area |
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designated by a school as a pick-up or drop-off zone for students; |
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[or] |
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(B) an institution of higher education or private |
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or independent institution of higher education, as defined by |
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Section 61.003, Education Code; |
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(C) [(B)] a juvenile detention facility; |
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(D) [(C)] a post-adjudication secure |
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correctional facility; |
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(E) [(D)] a shelter or facility operating as a |
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residential treatment center that serves runaway youth, foster |
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children, people who are homeless, or persons subjected to human |
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trafficking, domestic violence, or sexual assault; |
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(F) [(E)] a community center offering youth |
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services and programs; or |
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(G) [(F)] a child-care facility, as defined by |
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Section 42.002, Human Resources Code; [or] |
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(2) on the premises where or within 1,000 feet of the |
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premises where: |
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(A) an official school function was taking place; |
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or |
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(B) an event sponsored or sanctioned by the |
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University Interscholastic League was taking place; or |
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(3) in a school bus or other passenger transportation |
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vehicle of a school. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, |
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and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For |
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purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the |
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effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred |
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before that date. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |