Bill Text: TX SB291 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the establishment of a human trafficking unit within the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-02-07 - Referred to Criminal Justice [SB291 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-SB291-Introduced.html
86R1512 SMT-D | ||
By: Lucio | S.B. No. 291 |
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relating to the establishment of a human trafficking unit within | ||
the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 411, Government Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 411.02096 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 411.02096. HUMAN TRAFFICKING UNIT. (a) In this | ||
section: | ||
(1) "Human trafficking" means conduct that | ||
constitutes an offense under Section 20A.02, Penal Code. | ||
(2) "Unit" means the human trafficking unit | ||
established by this section. | ||
(b) A human trafficking unit is created within the | ||
department to investigate and combat human trafficking. | ||
(c) The unit shall collaborate with federal and local law | ||
enforcement agencies to investigate human trafficking and arrest | ||
persons determined to have engaged in human trafficking. | ||
(d) The department shall provide specialized training for | ||
peace officers assigned to the unit. | ||
(e) The department shall develop guidelines and protocols | ||
designed to minimize intrusion on a human trafficking victim who | ||
has an encounter with a peace officer performing a duty of the unit | ||
under this section. | ||
(f) The department may adopt rules as necessary to implement | ||
this section. | ||
SECTION 2. Not later than September 1, 2020, the Department | ||
of Public Safety of the State of Texas shall establish the human | ||
trafficking unit under Section 411.02096, Government Code, as added | ||
by this Act. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |