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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of a human trafficking unit within |
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the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 411, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 411.02096 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 411.02096. HUMAN TRAFFICKING UNIT. (a) In this |
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section: |
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(1) "Human trafficking" means conduct that |
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constitutes an offense under Section 20A.02, Penal Code. |
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(2) "Unit" means the human trafficking unit |
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established by this section. |
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(b) A human trafficking unit is created within the |
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department to investigate and combat human trafficking. |
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(c) The unit shall collaborate with federal and local law |
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enforcement agencies to investigate human trafficking and arrest |
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persons determined to have engaged in human trafficking. |
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(d) The department shall provide specialized training for |
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peace officers assigned to the unit. |
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(e) The department shall develop guidelines and protocols |
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designed to minimize intrusion on a human trafficking victim who |
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has an encounter with a peace officer performing a duty of the unit |
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under this section. |
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(f) The department may adopt rules as necessary to implement |
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this section. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than September 1, 2020, the Department |
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of Public Safety of the State of Texas shall establish the human |
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trafficking unit under Section 411.02096, Government Code, as added |
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by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |