BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1011

By: Parker

Criminal Jurisprudence

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Human trafficking is a global crisis that affects millions of people every year, including men, women, and children who are subjected to forced labor, sexual exploitation, and other forms of modern-day slavery. Traffickers use various tactics to lure and control their victims, including recruitment from vulnerable populations such as homeless individuals, runaways, and foster children. In some instances, traffickers recruit their victims from jails or correctional facilities while they are confined, taking advantage of their vulnerable and isolated status. This type of recruitment is particularly heinous, as victims are already in a restricted environment with limited options for escape or assistance. S.B. 1011 seeks to address this issue by providing for a first degree felony punishment for trafficking in which the actor recruits, entices, or obtains a trafficking victim while the person was confined in jail.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change 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. 1011 amends the Penal Code to include among the conduct that constitutes the offense of trafficking of persons that is punishable as a first degree felony recruiting, enticing, or obtaining a trafficked person from a correctional facility while the trafficked person was confined in the facility. The bill applies only to an offense committed on or after the bill's effective date. The bill provides for the continuation of the law in effect before the bill's effective date for purposes of an offense, or any element thereof, that occurred before that date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.