87R177 LHC-D
 
  By: Shaheen H.B. No. 462
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the prosecution of the offense of trafficking of
  persons.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 20A.02, Penal Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to
  read as follows:
         (a)  A person commits an offense if the person [knowingly]:
               (1)  knowingly traffics another person with the intent
  that the trafficked person engage in forced labor or services;
               (2)  knowingly receives a benefit from participating in
  a venture that involves an activity described by Subdivision (1),
  including by receiving labor or services the person knows are
  forced labor or services;
               (3)  knowingly traffics another person and, through
  force, fraud, or coercion, causes the trafficked person to engage
  in conduct prohibited by:
                     (A)  Section 43.02 (Prostitution);
                     (B)  Section 43.03 (Promotion of Prostitution);
                     (B-1)  Section 43.031 (Online Promotion of
  Prostitution);
                     (C)  Section 43.04 (Aggravated Promotion of
  Prostitution);
                     (C-1)  Section 43.041 (Aggravated Online
  Promotion of Prostitution); or
                     (D)  Section 43.05 (Compelling Prostitution);
               (4)  either:
                     (A)  in the course of engaging in conduct that
  constitutes an offense under Section 43.02(b), engages in sexual
  conduct with a person trafficked in the manner described by
  Subdivision (3), regardless of whether the actor knows that the
  person has been trafficked in the manner described by that
  subdivision; or
                     (B)  knowingly receives a benefit from
  participating in a venture that involves an activity described by
  Subdivision (3) [or engages in sexual conduct with a person
  trafficked in the manner described in Subdivision (3)];
               (5)  knowingly traffics a child with the intent that
  the trafficked child engage in forced labor or services;
               (6)  knowingly receives a benefit from participating in
  a venture that involves an activity described by Subdivision (5),
  including by receiving labor or services the person knows are
  forced labor or services;
               (7)  knowingly traffics a child and by any means causes
  the trafficked child to engage in, or become the victim of, conduct
  prohibited by:
                     (A)  Section 21.02 (Continuous Sexual Abuse of
  Young Child or Children);
                     (B)  Section 21.11 (Indecency with a Child);
                     (C)  Section 22.011 (Sexual Assault);
                     (D)  Section 22.021 (Aggravated Sexual Assault);
                     (E)  Section 43.02 (Prostitution);
                     (F)  Section 43.03 (Promotion of Prostitution);
                     (F-1)  Section 43.031 (Online Promotion of
  Prostitution);
                     (G)  Section 43.04 (Aggravated Promotion of
  Prostitution);
                     (G-1)  Section 43.041 (Aggravated Online
  Promotion of Prostitution);
                     (H)  Section 43.05 (Compelling Prostitution);
                     (I)  Section 43.25 (Sexual Performance by a
  Child);
                     (J)  Section 43.251 (Employment Harmful to
  Children); or
                     (K)  Section 43.26 (Possession or Promotion of
  Child Pornography); or
               (8)  either:
                     (A)  in the course of engaging in conduct that
  constitutes an offense under Section 43.02(b), engages in sexual
  conduct with a child trafficked in the manner described by
  Subdivision (7), regardless of whether the actor knows that the
  child has been trafficked in the manner described by that
  subdivision; or
                     (B)  knowingly receives a benefit from
  participating in a venture that involves an activity described by
  Subdivision (7) [or engages in sexual conduct with a child
  trafficked in the manner described in Subdivision (7)].
         (b)  Except as otherwise provided by Subsection (b-1) [this
  subsection], an offense under this section is a felony of the second
  degree and an offense under Subsection (a)(4)(A) is a state jail
  felony.
         (b-1)  An offense under this section is a felony of the first
  degree if:
               (1)  the applicable conduct constitutes an offense
  under Subsection (a)(5), (6), (7), or (8), regardless of whether
  the actor knows the age of the child at the time of the offense;
               (2)  the commission of the offense results in the death
  of the person who is trafficked; or
               (3)  the commission of the offense results in the death
  of an unborn child of the person who is trafficked.
         SECTION 2.  Section 2(a), Article 38.37, Code of Criminal
  Procedure, is amended to read as follows:
         (a)  Subsection (b) applies only to the trial of a defendant
  for:
               (1)  an offense under any of the following provisions
  of the Penal Code:
                     (A)  Section 20A.02, if punishable as a felony of
  the first degree under Section 20A.02(b-1)(1) [20A.02(b)(1)]
  ([Sex] Trafficking of a Child);
                     (B)  Section 21.02 (Continuous Sexual Abuse of
  Young Child or Children);
                     (C)  Section 21.11 (Indecency With a Child);
                     (D)  Section 22.011(a)(2) (Sexual Assault of a
  Child);
                     (E)  Sections 22.021(a)(1)(B) and (2) (Aggravated
  Sexual Assault of a Child);
                     (F)  Section 33.021 (Online Solicitation of a
  Minor);
                     (G)  Section 43.25 (Sexual Performance by a
  Child); or
                     (H)  Section 43.26 (Possession or Promotion of
  Child Pornography), Penal Code; or
               (2)  an attempt or conspiracy to commit an offense
  described by Subdivision (1).
         SECTION 3.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
  an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. An
  offense committed before the effective date of this Act is governed
  by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, and the
  former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of
  this section, an offense was committed before the effective date of
  this Act if any element of the offense occurred before that date.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.