BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1372

By: Shelton

Criminal Jurisprudence

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It is estimated that every year between 14,500 and 17,500 victims are trafficked into the United States from Asia, Central and South America, and Eastern Europe.  Furthermore, a significant domestic component to human trafficking exists, whereby each year American citizens are forced into the sex and labor trade.  Texas is a major corridor for human trafficking as nearly 20 percent of all human trafficking victims in the United States have been found in Texas.

The Texas Response to Human Trafficking report released by the Office of the Attorney General identifies protecting victims of human trafficking in Texas as a necessary and important goal for the 81st Legislature.  The report expressly recommends that laws relating to the right of crime victims be amended to include victims of human trafficking.

H.B. 1372 includes human trafficking victims in the definition of a victim under Article 56.01(3), Code of Criminal Procedure, which makes victims of human trafficking eligible for benefits and protections under the Victims' Bill of Rights and the Crime Victims' Compensation Act.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1372 reenacts and amends Article 56.01(3), Code of Criminal Procedure, as amended by Chapters 66 (H.B. 1489) and 268 (S.B. 6), Acts of the 79th Legislature, Regular Session, 2005, to include a person who is the victim of the offense of the trafficking of persons in the definition of "victim" for purposes of state law relating to the rights of crime victims.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the act does not receive the necessary vote, the act takes effect September 1, 2009.