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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the composition, duties, and continuation of the human |
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trafficking prevention task force. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 402.035(c), (d), and (h), Government |
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Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(c) The task force is composed of the following: |
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(1) the governor or the governor's designee; |
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(2) the attorney general or the attorney general's |
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designee; |
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(3) the executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission or the executive commissioner's designee; |
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(4) the commissioner of the Department of Family and |
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Protective Services or the commissioner's designee; |
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(5) the commissioner of the Department of State Health |
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Services or the commissioner's designee; |
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(6) the public safety director of the Department of |
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Public Safety or the director's designee; |
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(7) one representative from each of the following |
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state agencies, appointed by the chief administrative officer of |
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the respective agency: |
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(A) the Texas Workforce Commission; |
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(B) the Texas Department of Criminal Justice; |
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(C) the Texas Juvenile Justice Department [Youth
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Commission;
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[(D) the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission]; |
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and |
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(D) [(E)] the Texas Alcoholic Beverage |
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Commission; and |
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(8) as appointed by the attorney general: |
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(A) a chief public defender employed by a public |
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defender's office, as defined by Article 26.044(a), Code of |
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Criminal Procedure, or an attorney designated by the chief public |
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defender; |
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(B) an attorney representing the state; |
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(C) a representative of: |
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(i) a hotel and motel association; |
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(ii) a district and county attorneys |
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association; [and] |
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(iii) a state police association; and |
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(iv) a statewide medical association; |
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(D) representatives of sheriff's departments; |
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(E) representatives of local law enforcement |
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agencies affected by human trafficking; and |
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(F) representatives of nongovernmental entities |
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making comprehensive efforts to combat human trafficking by: |
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(i) identifying human trafficking victims; |
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(ii) providing legal or other services to |
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human trafficking victims; |
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(iii) participating in community outreach |
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or public awareness efforts regarding human trafficking; |
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(iv) providing or developing training |
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regarding the prevention of human trafficking; or |
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(v) engaging in other activities designed |
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to prevent human trafficking. |
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(d) The task force shall: |
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(1) collaborate, as needed to fulfill the duties of |
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the task force, with: |
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(A) United States attorneys for the districts of |
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Texas; and |
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(B) special agents or customs and border |
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protection officers and border patrol agents of: |
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(i) the Federal Bureau of Investigation; |
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(ii) the United States Drug Enforcement |
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Administration; |
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(iii) the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, |
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Firearms and Explosives; |
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(iv) United States Immigration and Customs |
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Enforcement; or |
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(v) the United States Department of |
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Homeland Security; |
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(2) collect, organize, and periodically publish |
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statistical data on the nature and extent of human trafficking in |
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this state, including data described by Subdivisions (4)(A), (B), |
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(C), (D), and (E); |
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(3) solicit cooperation and assistance from state and |
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local governmental agencies, political subdivisions of the state, |
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nongovernmental organizations, and other persons, as appropriate, |
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for the purpose of collecting and organizing statistical data under |
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Subdivision (2); |
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(4) ensure that each state or local governmental |
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agency and political subdivision of the state and each state or |
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local law enforcement agency, district attorney, or county attorney |
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that assists in the prevention of human trafficking collects |
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statistical data related to human trafficking, including, as |
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appropriate: |
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(A) the number of investigations concerning, |
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arrests and prosecutions for, and convictions of: |
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(i) the offense of trafficking of persons; |
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[and] |
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(ii) the offense of forgery or an offense |
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under Chapter 43, Penal Code, if the offense was committed as part |
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of a criminal episode involving the trafficking of persons; and |
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(iii) an offense punishable under Section |
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43.02(c)(3), Penal Code, regardless of whether the offense was |
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committed as part of a criminal episode involving the trafficking |
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of persons; |
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(B) demographic information on persons who are |
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convicted of offenses described by Paragraph (A) and persons who |
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are the victims of those offenses; |
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(C) geographic routes by which human trafficking |
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victims are trafficked, including routes by which victims are |
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trafficked across this state's international border, and |
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geographic patterns in human trafficking, including the country or |
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state of origin and the country or state of destination; |
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(D) means of transportation and methods used by |
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persons who engage in trafficking to transport their victims; and |
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(E) social and economic factors that create a |
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demand for the labor or services that victims of human trafficking |
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are forced to provide; |
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(5) work with the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement |
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[Officer Standards and Education] to develop and conduct training |
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for law enforcement personnel, victim service providers, and |
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medical service providers to identify victims of human trafficking; |
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(6) work with the Texas Education Agency, the |
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Department of Family and Protective Services, and the Health and |
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Human Services Commission to: |
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(A) develop a list of key indicators that a |
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person is a victim of human trafficking; |
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(B) develop a standardized curriculum for |
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training doctors, nurses, emergency medical services personnel, |
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teachers, school counselors, school administrators, and personnel |
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from the Department of Family and Protective Services and the |
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Health and Human Services Commission to identify and assist victims |
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of human trafficking; |
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(C) train doctors, nurses, emergency medical |
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services personnel, teachers, school counselors, school |
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administrators, and personnel from the Department of Family and |
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Protective Services and the Health and Human Services Commission to |
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identify and assist victims of human trafficking; |
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(D) develop and conduct training for personnel |
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from the Department of Family and Protective Services and the |
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Health and Human Services Commission on methods for identifying |
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children in foster care who may be at risk of becoming victims of |
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human trafficking; and |
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(E) develop a process for referring identified |
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human trafficking victims and individuals at risk of becoming |
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victims to appropriate entities for services; |
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(7) on the request of a judge of a county court, county |
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court at law, or district court or a county attorney, district |
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attorney, or criminal district attorney, assist and train the judge |
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or the judge's staff or the attorney or the attorney's staff in the |
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recognition and prevention of human trafficking; |
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(8) examine training protocols related to human |
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trafficking issues, as developed and implemented by federal, state, |
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and local law enforcement agencies; |
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(9) collaborate with state and local governmental |
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agencies, political subdivisions of the state, and nongovernmental |
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organizations to implement a media awareness campaign in |
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communities affected by human trafficking; |
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(10) develop recommendations on how to strengthen |
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state and local efforts to prevent human trafficking, protect and |
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assist human trafficking victims, and prosecute human trafficking |
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offenders; [and] |
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(11) examine the extent to which human trafficking is |
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associated with the operation of sexually oriented businesses, as |
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defined by Section 243.002, Local Government Code, and the |
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workplace or public health concerns that are created by the |
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association of human trafficking and the operation of sexually |
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oriented businesses; and |
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(12) develop recommendations for addressing the |
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demand for forced labor or services or sexual conduct involving |
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victims of human trafficking, including recommendations for |
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increased penalties for individuals who engage or attempt to engage |
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in prostitution with victims younger than 18 years of age. |
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(h) This section expires September 1, 2017 [2015]. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |