Bill Text: TX HB3521 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to the definition of coercion for purposes of trafficking of persons.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 2-1)
Status: (Passed) 2021-06-16 - Effective on 9/1/21 [HB3521 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB3521-Enrolled.html
H.B. No. 3521 |
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relating to the definition of coercion for purposes of trafficking | ||
of persons. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 20A.01, Penal Code, is amended by adding | ||
Subdivision (1-a) to read as follows: | ||
(1-a) "Coercion" as defined by Section 1.07 includes: | ||
(A) destroying, concealing, confiscating, or | ||
withholding from a trafficked person, or threatening to destroy, | ||
conceal, confiscate, or withhold from a trafficked person, the | ||
person's actual or purported: | ||
(i) government records; or | ||
(ii) identifying information or documents; | ||
(B) causing a trafficked person, without the | ||
person's consent, to become intoxicated, as defined by Section | ||
49.01, to a degree that impairs the person's ability to appraise the | ||
nature of or resist engaging in any conduct, including performing | ||
or providing labor or services; or | ||
(C) withholding alcohol or a controlled | ||
substance to a degree that impairs the ability of a trafficked | ||
person with a chemical dependency, as defined by Section 462.001, | ||
Health and Safety Code, to appraise the nature of or resist engaging | ||
in any conduct, including performing or providing labor or | ||
services. | ||
SECTION 2. Section 20A.02(a-1), Penal Code, is repealed. | ||
SECTION 3. 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 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. | ||
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
I certify that H.B. No. 3521 was passed by the House on May | ||
11, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 143, Nays 0, 2 present, not | ||
voting. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||
I certify that H.B. No. 3521 was passed by the Senate on May | ||
27, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
APPROVED: _____________________ | ||
Date | ||
_____________________ | ||
Governor |