H.B. No. 2529

	AN ACT
	relating to the definition of coercion for purposes 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 adding
	Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:
	(a-1)  For purposes of Subsection (a)(3), "coercion" as
	defined by Section 1.07 includes destroying, concealing,
	confiscating, or withholding from the trafficked person, or
	threatening to destroy, conceal, confiscate, or withhold from the
	trafficked person, the trafficked person's actual or purported:
	(1)  government records; or
	(2)  identifying information or documents.
	SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies 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 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
	______________________________	______________________________
	President of the Senate	Speaker of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 2529 was passed by the House on May 4,
	2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 143, Nays 0, 2 present, not
	voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
	No. 2529 on May 25, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 142, Nays 0,
	3 present, not voting.
	______________________________
	Chief Clerk of the House
	I certify that H.B. No. 2529 was passed by the Senate, with
	amendments, on May 23, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays
	0.
	______________________________
	Secretary of the Senate
	APPROVED: __________________
	Date
	__________________
	Governor