88R13518 EAS-F
By: Thierry, Shaheen, Jetton, Cook H.B. No. 3553
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to increasing the criminal penalty for the offense of
trafficking of persons if committed at certain locations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 20A.02(b-1), Penal Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b-1) An offense under this section is a felony of the first
degree punishable by imprisonment in the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice for life or for a term of not more than 99 years or
less than 25 years if it is shown on the trial of the offense that
the actor committed the offense in a location that was:
(1) on the premises of or within 1,000 feet of the
premises of:
(A) a school; or
(B) an institution of higher education or private
or independent institution of higher education, as defined by
Section 61.003, Education Code; or
(2) on premises or within 1,000 feet of premises
where:
(A) an official school function was taking place;
or
(B) an event sponsored or sanctioned by the
University Interscholastic League was taking place.
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.
An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is
governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed,
and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For
purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the
effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred
before that date.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.