| TO: | Honorable Aaron Pena, Chair, House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB1121 by Anchia (Relating to judicial findings regarding victims of trafficking and related offenses.), As Introduced |
The bill would amend the Code of Criminal Procedure and the Family Code to require a judge to make an affirmative finding and file a statement of such if the judge determines that, regardless of whether the conduct at issue under Chapter 20A, Penal Code (Trafficking of Persons) is the subject of the prosecution or part of the same criminal episode as the conduct that is the subject of the prosecution, if a victim in the trial is or has been a victim of a severe form of trafficking in persons or has suffered substantial physical or mental abuse as a result of having been a victim of criminal activity under 8 U.S.C. Section 1101(a)(15)(U)(iii).
The bill would apply only to a judgment of conviction entered on or after the effective date of the bill. The bill would take effect immediately if it were to receive the required two-thirds vote in each house; otherwise, it would take effect September 1, 2007.
| Source Agencies: | 212 Office of Court Administration, Texas Judicial Council
|
| LBB Staff: | JOB, ES, DB
|