79R1535 KCR-D

By:  Van de Putte                                                 S.B. No. 206



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the punishment for the offense of trafficking of 
persons.       
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 20A.02(b), Penal Code, is amended to 
read as follows:    
	(b)  An [Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, an] 
offense under Subsection (a)(1) [this section] is a felony of the 
second degree, except that the offense is a felony of the first 
degree if the commission of the offense results in the death of the 
person who is trafficked.  An offense under Subsection (a)(2) [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].
	SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only 
to an offense that is committed on or after the effective date of 
this Act.  An offense committed before the effective date of this 
Act is covered by the law in effect at the time 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 
was committed before that date.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.