| 1 | 1 | | 85R12809 SMT-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Lucio S.B. No. 1859 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the establishment of a human trafficking unit within |
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| 8 | 8 | | the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 411, Government Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 411.02096 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 411.02096. HUMAN TRAFFICKING UNIT. (a) In this |
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| 13 | 13 | | section: |
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| 14 | 14 | | (1) "Human trafficking" means conduct that |
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| 15 | 15 | | constitutes an offense under Section 20A.02, Penal Code. |
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| 16 | 16 | | (2) "Unit" means the human trafficking unit |
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| 17 | 17 | | established by this section. |
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| 18 | 18 | | (b) A human trafficking unit is created within the |
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| 19 | 19 | | department to investigate and combat human trafficking. |
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| 20 | 20 | | (c) The unit shall collaborate with federal and local law |
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| 21 | 21 | | enforcement agencies and the office of the attorney general's human |
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| 22 | 22 | | trafficking prevention task force and transnational and organized |
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| 23 | 23 | | crime division, as applicable, to investigate human trafficking and |
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| 24 | 24 | | arrest persons determined to have engaged in human trafficking. |
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| 25 | 25 | | (d) The department, in consultation with the office of the |
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| 26 | 26 | | attorney general, shall develop and provide specialized training |
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| 27 | 27 | | for peace officers assigned to the unit. |
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| 28 | 28 | | (e) The unit may implement a public outreach campaign to |
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| 29 | 29 | | combat human trafficking and may accept gifts, grants, or donations |
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| 30 | 30 | | or work with a nonprofit organization for purposes of implementing |
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| 31 | 31 | | the campaign. |
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| 32 | 32 | | (f) If the unit implements a campaign under Subsection (e), |
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| 33 | 33 | | the unit shall collaborate with local law enforcement agencies, |
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| 34 | 34 | | school districts, and faith-based organizations and places of |
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| 35 | 35 | | worship to educate persons younger than 18 years of age concerning |
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| 36 | 36 | | the dangers associated with human trafficking. |
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| 37 | 37 | | (g) The legislature may appropriate funds to the department |
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| 38 | 38 | | from the fugitive apprehension account for purposes of implementing |
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| 39 | 39 | | this section. |
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| 40 | 40 | | (h) The department shall develop guidelines and protocols |
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| 41 | 41 | | designed to minimize intrusion on a person who has an encounter with |
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| 42 | 42 | | a peace officer performing a duty of the unit under this section. |
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| 43 | 43 | | (i) The department may adopt rules as necessary to implement |
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| 44 | 44 | | this section. |
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| 45 | 45 | | SECTION 2. Not later than September 1, 2018, the Department |
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| 46 | 46 | | of Public Safety of the State of Texas shall establish the human |
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| 47 | 47 | | trafficking unit under Section 411.02096, Government Code, as added |
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| 48 | 48 | | by this Act. |
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| 49 | 49 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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