BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1212

By: Paxton

Criminal Jurisprudence

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Currently, human trafficking is a second degree felony in Texas and increased to a first degree felony only under certain conditions. S.B. 1212 increases the penalty for any conduct constituting the offense of trafficking of persons to a first degree felony.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill expressly does one or more of the following: creates a criminal offense, increases the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or changes the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 1212 amends the Penal Code to make any conduct constituting the offense of trafficking of persons punishable as a first degree felony by increasing the penalty for conduct currently punishable as a second degree felony to a first degree felony.

S.B. 1212 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to make a conforming change.

S.B. 1212 applies only to an offense committed on or after the bill's effective date. An offense committed before that date 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 these purposes, an offense was committed before the bill's effective date if any element of the offense occurred before that date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.