BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 128

By: Garcia

Transportation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that the opportunity for commercial driver's license applicants to receive anti-human trafficking training could place numerous informed drivers across Texas in positions where they can observe, obtain actionable information, and report to law enforcement to effectively prevent human trafficking. S.B. 128 seeks to address this issue by including education and training regarding human trafficking in the curriculum of commercial driver's license training programs and by providing for related informational materials for distribution to commercial driver's license applicants.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in SECTION 1 and the Texas Workforce Commission in SECTION 2 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 128 amends the Education Code to require the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board by rule to require each public junior college offering a commercial driver's license training program to include as a part of that program education and training on the recognition and prevention of human trafficking. The bill requires the coordinating board, in collaboration with the office of the attorney general, to establish the content of the education and training required for such a program. The bill requires the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) by rule to require each career school or college offering a commercial driver's license training program to include as a part of that program education and training on the recognition and prevention of human trafficking. The bill requires the TWC, in collaboration with the office of the attorney general, to establish the content of the education and training required for such a program.

S.B. 128 amends the Transportation Code to require the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to provide informational materials regarding the recognition and prevention of human trafficking for distribution to commercial driver's license applicants. The bill authorizes DPS to coordinate with organizations that specialize in the recognition and prevention of human trafficking to provide the required informational materials.

S.B. 128 requires the coordinating board and the TWC, not later than December 1, 2017, to adopt the rules necessary to implement the bill's provisions, as applicable. The bill requires DPS to provide informational materials as required by the bill's provisions, not later than December 1, 2017.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2017.