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.