89R15200 AJZ-D
By: Kerwin H.B. No. 3189
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to increasing the criminal penalty for certain conduct
constituting the offense of trafficking of persons.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 20A.02(b-1), Penal Code, as amended by
Chapters 451 (H.B. 3553) and 452 (H.B. 3554), Acts of the 88th
Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, is reenacted and 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 any part of 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 a school bus stop or other area
designated by a school as a pick-up or drop-off zone for students;
[or]
(B) an institution of higher education or private
or independent institution of higher education, as defined by
Section 61.003, Education Code;
(C) [(B)] a juvenile detention facility;
(D) [(C)] a post-adjudication secure
correctional facility;
(E) [(D)] a shelter or facility operating as a
residential treatment center that serves runaway youth, foster
children, people who are homeless, or persons subjected to human
trafficking, domestic violence, or sexual assault;
(F) [(E)] a community center offering youth
services and programs; or
(G) [(F)] a child-care facility, as defined by
Section 42.002, Human Resources Code; [or]
(2) on the premises where or within 1,000 feet of the
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; or
(3) in a school bus or other passenger transportation
vehicle of a school.
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, 2025.