BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1113

By: Davis, Sarah

Public Health

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Reports indicate that there are tens of thousands of children and young adults currently being sex trafficked in Texas. While there have been state-level initiatives to address human trafficking, it has been noted that many municipalities lack the resources to implement appropriate programs and strategies in their respective communities to adequately address the prevalence of sex trafficking. H.B. 1113 seeks to set out a multipronged approach to address the issue of sex trafficking by way of additional prevention and treatment programs and limitations on state contracting.

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 executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission in SECTIONS 2 and 3 of this bill and to the governor in SECTION 3 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1113 amends the Health and Safety Code to require the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to establish a treatment program to improve the quality and accessibility of care for victims of child sex trafficking in Texas. The bill requires HHSC to designate a health-related institution of higher education to operate the program and to collaborate with that institution and the Child Sex Trafficking Prevention Unit within the criminal justice division of the governor's office in establishing the program. The bill requires the designated institution to improve the quality and accessibility of care for victims of child sex trafficking by dedicating a unit at the institution to provide or contract for inpatient care for victims of child sex trafficking, dedicating a unit at the institution to provide or contract for outpatient care for victims of child sex trafficking, creating opportunities for research and workforce expansion related to treatment of victims of child sex trafficking, and assisting other health-related institutions of higher education in Texas to establish similar programs. The bill authorizes the designated institution to accept gifts, grants, and donations from any public or private person for the purpose of carrying out the program. The bill requires the executive commissioner of HHSC to adopt rules necessary to implement the treatment program.

H.B. 1113 requires HHSC to establish and administer a matching grant program that awards grants to provide initial money to establish municipal sex trafficking prevention programs in Texas. The bill authorizes a municipality to apply to HHSC in the form and manner prescribed by HHSC for a matching grant for the municipality's sex trafficking prevention program. The bill sets out qualifications for applicants for the grant program and the process for reviewing applications and providing grant funds. The bill authorizes HHSC to solicit and accept gifts, grants, or donations from any source to administer and finance the matching grant program. The bill requires the executive commissioner to adopt rules as necessary to implement the grant program.

H.B. 1113 requires the governor's office, in collaboration with the Child Sex Trafficking Prevention Unit, to establish and administer a grant program that awards grants to local law enforcement agencies to train local law enforcement officers to recognize signs of sex trafficking. The bill authorizes a local law enforcement agency to apply to the governor's office in the form and manner prescribed by the office for a grant under the program and sets out the process for reviewing applications and providing grant funding. The bill authorizes the governor's office to solicit and accept gifts, grants, or donations from any source to administer and finance the grant program. The bill requires the governor to adopt rules as necessary to implement the grant program.  

H.B. 1113 amends the Government Code to require the comptroller of public accounts to bar from participating in state contracts that are subject to the State Purchasing and General Services Act, including contracts for which purchasing authority is delegated to an applicable state agency, a vendor that has taken an action that directly supports or promotes human trafficking. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.