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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to human trafficking prevention, including training for |
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first responders, disclosure of human trafficking information by |
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certain health care facilities, and protection for facility |
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employees who report human trafficking. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle A, Title 9, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 763 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 763. HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION TRAINING |
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SUBCHAPTER A. TRAINING FOR FIRST RESPONDERS |
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Sec. 763.001. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Commission" means the Health and Human Services |
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Commission. |
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(2) "Executive commissioner" means the executive |
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commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission. |
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(3) "First responder" means a public safety employee |
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whose duties include responding rapidly to an emergency. The term: |
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(A) includes: |
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(i) fire protection personnel, as defined |
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by Section 419.021, Government Code; and |
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(ii) emergency medical services personnel, |
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as defined by Section 773.003; and |
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(B) does not include: |
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(i) volunteer emergency services |
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personnel; |
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(ii) an emergency medical services |
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volunteer, as defined by Section 773.003; or |
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(iii) a peace officer or reserve law |
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enforcement officer, as those terms are defined by Section |
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1701.001, Occupations Code, who is performing law enforcement |
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duties. |
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(4) "Human trafficking" means conduct that |
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constitutes an offense under Section 20A.02, Penal Code. |
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Sec. 763.002. REQUIRED HUMAN TRAFFICKING TRAINING. A first |
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responder, within the time prescribed by commission rule, shall |
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successfully complete a training course approved by the executive |
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commissioner on identifying, assisting, and reporting victims of |
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human trafficking. |
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Sec. 763.003. TRAINING COURSE APPROVAL. (a) The executive |
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commissioner shall: |
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(1) approve training courses on human trafficking |
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prevention, including at least one course available without charge; |
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and |
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(2) post a list of the approved training courses on the |
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commission's Internet website. |
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(b) The executive commissioner shall update the list of |
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approved training courses described by Subsection (a) as necessary |
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and consider for approval training courses conducted by health care |
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facilities. |
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SECTION 2. Section 241.011, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 241.011. HUMAN TRAFFICKING SIGNS REQUIRED. (a) An |
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emergency department of a hospital shall display a sign, at least 11 |
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inches by 17 inches in size, written in at least a 16-point font and |
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in the form prescribed by the attorney general, that includes: |
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(1) the following statements: |
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(A) "All health care practitioners and first |
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responders are required to receive human trafficking prevention |
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training."; and |
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(B) "A hospital employee may not be disciplined, |
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retaliated against, or otherwise discriminated against for |
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reporting in good faith a suspected act of human trafficking."; |
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(2) information on recognizing and reporting human |
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trafficking and a list of human trafficking indicators; |
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(3) a phone number the attorney general designates for |
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reporting a suspected act of human trafficking; and |
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(4) contact information for reporting suspicious |
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activity to the Department of Public Safety. |
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(b) The sign described by Subsection (a) must be posted: |
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(1) in a location easily visible to all hospital |
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employees; and |
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(2) separately in English, Spanish, and any other |
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primary language spoken by 10 percent or more of the hospital's |
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employees [separate signs, in English and Spanish, that comply with |
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Section 245.025 as if the hospital is an abortion facility]. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 241, Health and Safety |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 241.0115 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 241.0115. DISCRIMINATION AND RETALIATION PROHIBITED. |
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A hospital may not discipline, retaliate against, or otherwise |
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discriminate against a hospital employee who in good faith reports |
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a suspected act of human trafficking to the hospital, a law |
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enforcement agency, the National Human Trafficking Resource |
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Center, the attorney general, or any other appropriate authority. |
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SECTION 4. Subchapter D, Chapter 254, Health and Safety |
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Code, is amended by adding Sections 254.161 and 254.162 to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 254.161. HUMAN TRAFFICKING SIGNS REQUIRED. (a) A |
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freestanding emergency medical care facility shall display a sign, |
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at least 11 inches by 17 inches in size, written in at least a |
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16-point font and in the form prescribed by the attorney general, |
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that includes: |
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(1) the following statements: |
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(A) "All health care practitioners and first |
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responders are required to receive human trafficking prevention |
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training."; and |
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(B) "A freestanding emergency medical care |
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facility employee may not be disciplined, retaliated against, or |
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otherwise discriminated against for reporting in good faith a |
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suspected act of human trafficking."; |
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(2) information on recognizing and reporting human |
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trafficking and a list of human trafficking indicators; |
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(3) a phone number the attorney general designates for |
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reporting a suspected act of human trafficking; and |
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(4) contact information for reporting suspicious |
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activity to the Department of Public Safety. |
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(b) The sign described by Subsection (a) must be posted: |
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(1) in a location easily visible to all facility |
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employees; and |
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(2) separately in English, Spanish, and any other |
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primary language spoken by 10 percent or more of the facility's |
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employees. |
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Sec. 254.162. DISCRIMINATION AND RETALIATION PROHIBITED. A |
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freestanding emergency medical care facility may not discipline, |
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retaliate against, or otherwise discriminate against a facility |
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employee who in good faith reports a suspected act of human |
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trafficking to the facility, a law enforcement agency, the National |
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Human Trafficking Resource Center, the attorney general, or any |
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other appropriate authority. |
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SECTION 5. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission shall approve and post on the commission's |
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Internet website the list of approved human trafficking prevention |
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training courses and adopt rules necessary to implement Subchapter |
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A, Chapter 763, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 6. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the attorney general shall design the sign required by |
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Section 241.011, Health and Safety Code, as amended by this Act, and |
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Section 254.161, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |