80R1674 RMB-D
 
  By: Zedler H.B. No. 1605
 
 
 
   
 
 
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.  Section 20A.02(b), Penal Code, as amended 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, 2007.