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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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medical assistants, 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 G, Title 4, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 328 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 328. HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN FACILITIES |
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Sec. 328.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Facility" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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31.002. |
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(2) "Medical assistant" has the meaning assigned by |
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Section 763.001. |
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Sec. 328.002. HUMAN TRAFFICKING SIGNS REQUIRED. (a) A |
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facility shall display a sign, at least 11 inches by 17 inches in |
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size, written in at least a 16-point font and in the form prescribed |
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by the attorney general, that includes: |
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(1) the following statements: |
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(A) "All health care practitioners and medical |
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assistants are required to receive human trafficking prevention |
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training."; and |
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(B) "An 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 or a violation of |
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this chapter; 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. 328.003. DISCRIMINATION AND RETALIATION PROHIBITED. A |
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facility may not discipline, retaliate against, or otherwise |
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discriminate against a facility employee who in good faith reports |
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a suspected act of human trafficking to the facility, a law |
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enforcement agency, the National Human Trafficking Resource |
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Center, the attorney general, or another appropriate authority. |
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SECTION 2. 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 MEDICAL ASSISTANTS |
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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) "Human trafficking" means conduct that |
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constitutes an offense under Section 20A.02, Penal Code. |
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(4) "Medical assistant" means an individual who, under |
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the supervision of a physician, assists with patient care |
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management, executes administrative duties, and performs clinical |
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procedures, including: |
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(A) conducting aseptic procedures; |
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(B) obtaining vital signs; |
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(C) preparing patients for the physician's care; |
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(D) performing venipunctures and non-intravenous |
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injections; |
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(E) observing and reporting patients' symptoms; |
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(F) administering basic first aid; |
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(G) assisting with patient examinations or |
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treatments; |
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(H) operating office medical equipment; |
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(I) collecting routine laboratory specimens, as |
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directed by the physician; |
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(J) administering medication, as directed by the |
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physician; |
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(K) performing basic laboratory procedures; and |
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(L) performing dialysis procedures, including |
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home dialysis. |
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Sec. 763.002. REQUIRED HUMAN TRAFFICKING TRAINING. A |
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medical assistant, within the time prescribed by commission rule, |
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shall successfully complete a training course approved by the |
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executive commissioner on identifying, assisting, and reporting |
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victims of 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 3. 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 328.002, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 4. 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 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |