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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the prosecution of the offense of trafficking of |
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persons. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 20A.02(a), Penal Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A person commits an offense if the person [knowingly]: |
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(1) knowingly traffics another person with the intent |
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that the trafficked person engage in forced labor or services; |
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(2) knowingly receives a benefit from participating in |
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a venture that involves an activity described by Subdivision (1), |
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including by receiving labor or services the person knows are |
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forced labor or services; |
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(3) knowingly traffics another person and, through |
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force, fraud, or coercion, causes the trafficked person to engage |
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in conduct prohibited by: |
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(A) Section 43.02 (Prostitution); |
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(B) Section 43.03 (Promotion of Prostitution); |
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(C) Section 43.04 (Aggravated Promotion of |
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Prostitution); or |
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(D) Section 43.05 (Compelling Prostitution); |
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(4) engages in sexual conduct with a person trafficked |
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in the manner described by Subdivision (3), regardless of whether |
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the actor knows that the person has been trafficked in the manner |
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described by that subdivision, or knowingly receives a benefit from |
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participating in a venture that involves an activity described by |
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Subdivision (3) [or engages in sexual conduct with a person
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trafficked in the manner described in Subdivision (3)]; |
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(5) knowingly traffics a child with the intent that |
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the trafficked child engage in forced labor or services; |
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(6) knowingly receives a benefit from participating |
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in a venture that involves an activity described by Subdivision |
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(5), including by receiving labor or services the person knows are |
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forced labor or services; |
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(7) knowingly traffics a child and by any means causes |
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the trafficked child to engage in, or become the victim of, conduct |
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prohibited by: |
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(A) Section 21.02 (Continuous Sexual Abuse of |
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Young Child or Children); |
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(B) Section 21.11 (Indecency with a Child); |
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(C) Section 22.011 (Sexual Assault); |
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(D) Section 22.021 (Aggravated Sexual Assault); |
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(E) Section 43.02 (Prostitution); |
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(F) Section 43.03 (Promotion of Prostitution); |
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(G) Section 43.04 (Aggravated Promotion of |
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Prostitution); |
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(H) Section 43.05 (Compelling Prostitution); |
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(I) Section 43.25 (Sexual Performance by a |
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Child); |
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(J) Section 43.251 (Employment Harmful to |
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Children); or |
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(K) Section 43.26 (Possession or Promotion of |
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Child Pornography); or |
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(8) engages in sexual conduct with a child trafficked |
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in the manner described by Subdivision (7), regardless of whether |
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the actor knows that the child has been trafficked in the manner |
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described by that subdivision, or knowingly receives a benefit |
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from participating in a venture that involves an activity described |
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by Subdivision (7) [or engages in sexual conduct with a child
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trafficked in the manner described in Subdivision (7)]. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, |
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and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For |
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purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the |
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effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred |
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before that date. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |