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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to creating the criminal offense of misrepresenting a |
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child as a family member at a port of entry and providing certain |
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benefits to the misrepresented child. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 531.0991 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 531.0991. AUTOMATIC PROVISION OF MEDICAID BENEFITS. |
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To the extent permitted by federal law and regardless of the |
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nationality of the child, the commission shall ensure a child who is |
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used in the commission of an offense under Section 37.082, Penal |
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Code, is provided Medicaid benefits. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 37, Penal Code, is amended by adding |
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Section 37.082 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 37.082. MISREPRESENTING CHILD AS FAMILY MEMBER AT PORT |
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OF ENTRY. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Child" means a person younger than 18 years of |
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age. |
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(2) "Family member" means a person who is related to |
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another person by consanguinity or affinity. |
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(3) "Port of entry" means a place designated by |
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executive order of the president of the United States, by order of |
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the United States secretary of the treasury, or by act of the United |
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States Congress at which a customs officer is authorized to enforce |
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customs laws. |
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(b) A person commits an offense if the person, with intent |
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to engage in trafficking of persons, as defined by Section 20A.02, |
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knowingly misrepresents a child as a family member of the person to |
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a peace officer or federal special investigator at a port of entry. |
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(c) An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor. |
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(d) If conduct that constitutes an offense under this |
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section also constitutes an offense under another law, the actor |
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may be prosecuted under this section, the other law, or both. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |