SRC-LBB S.B. 1953 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1953
By: Van de Putte
Criminal Justice
5/19/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

The trafficking of individuals through the state of Texas has become a
profitable and dangerous trade.  People are crammed into different sized
trailers and are shipped across the state.  Some of these trailers lack
oxygen and others have the cooling system disconnected.  As proposed, S.B.
1953 provides criminal consequences for conduct that involves the
trafficking of persons.   

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Title 5, Penal Code, by adding Chapter 20A, as follows:

CHAPTER 20A.  TRAFFICKING OF PERSONS

 Sec. 20A.01.  DEFINITIONS.  Defines "forced labor or services" and
"traffic." 

Sec. 20A.02.  TRAFFICKING OF PERSONS.  (a)  Provides that a person commits
an offense if the person knowingly traffics another person with the intent
that the trafficked person engage in: 

  (1)  forced labor or services; or
  (2)  conduct that constitutes an offense under Chapter 43.

(b)  Provides that an offense under this section is a felony of the second
degree. Provides that an offense under this section is a felony of the
first degree if: 

(1)  the offense is committed under Subsection (a)(2) and the person who
is trafficked is younger than 14 years of age at the time of the offense;
or 
(2)  the commission of the offense results in the death of the person who
is trafficked. 

(c)  Authorizes an actor to be prosecuted under either section or under
both sections, if conduct constituting an offense under this section also
constitutes an offense under another section of this code. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 71.02(a), Penal Code, to include "any offense
under Chapter 20A" in the list of offenses.  Makes conforming changes. 
 
SECTION 3.  Effective date:  September 1, 2003.