H.B. No. 844
AN ACT
relating to crime victims' compensation for criminally injurious
conduct in connection with trafficking of persons.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 56B, Code of Criminal
Procedure, is amended by adding Article 56B.0035 to read as
follows:
Art. 56B.0035. CRIMINALLY INJURIOUS CONDUCT. (a) For
purposes of this chapter, criminally injurious conduct includes the
solicitation or patronization of forced labor or services,
including sexual conduct, by any person if the solicitation or
patronization occurs in connection with a scheme or course of
conduct that constitutes the trafficking of persons.
(b) A victim of criminally injurious conduct described by
Subsection (a) is a trafficking victim for the purposes of grant
programs administered by the office of the governor.
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only
to compensation for criminally injurious conduct occurring on or
after the effective date of this Act. Compensation for criminally
injurious conduct occurring before the effective date of this Act
is governed by the law in effect on the date the conduct occurred,
and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For
purposes of this section, criminally injurious conduct occurred
before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense
underlying the conduct occurred before that date.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 844 was passed by the House on May 4,
2023, by the following vote: Yeas 143, Nays 2, 1 present, not
voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 844 was passed by the Senate on May
18, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: _____________________
Date
_____________________
Governor