SB741 - Relating to human trafficking, prostitution, and child pornography and to the prosecution of sexual or assaultive offenses or the prosecution of a failure to stop or report those offenses; amending and harmonizing certain statute of limitations provisions; creating a criminal offense; increasing a criminal penalty.

  89R4474 AJZ-F     By: Huffman S.B. No. 741       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to human trafficking, prostitution, and child pornography   and to the prosecution of sexual or assaultive offenses or the   prosecution of a failure to stop or report those offenses; amending   and harmonizing certain statute of limitations provisions;   creating a criminal offense; increasing a criminal penalty.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:   ARTICLE 1. HUMAN TRAFFICKING          SECTION 1.01.  Section 402.034(c), Government Code, is   amended to read as follows:          (c)  The council is composed of the following:                (1)  the governor or the governor's designee;                (2)  the attorney general or the attorney general's   designee;                (3)  the commissioner of the Department of Family and   Protective Services or the commissioner's designee;                (4)  the public safety director of the Department of   Public Safety or the director's designee;                (5)  one representative from each of the following   state agencies, appointed by the chief administrative officer of   the respective agency:                      (A)  the Texas Workforce Commission;                      (B)  the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission;                      (C)  the Parks and Wildlife Department;                      (D)  the Texas Department of Licensing and   Regulation;                      (E)  the Texas Education Agency; [ and ]                      (F)  the Texas Department of Transportation; and                       (G)     the Office of Court Administration of the   Texas Judicial System; and                (6)  one representative of any other state agency   appointed by the chief administrative officer of the agency, if the   council determines that a representative from the state agency is a   necessary member of the council.          SECTION 1.02.  Section 402.0351(a), Government Code, is   amended by amending Subdivision (1) and adding Subdivision (1-a) to   read as follows:                (1)   "Body piercing studio" has the meaning assigned by   Section 146.001, Health and Safety Code.                 (1-a)   "Cosmetology facility" means a person who holds   a license to operate a facility or school under Chapter 1603  [ 1602 ],   Occupations Code , where cosmetology is practiced .          SECTION 1.03.  Section 402.0351(a-1), Government Code, is   amended to read as follows:          (a-1)  Except as provided by Subsection (a-3), a person who   operates any of the following entities shall post at the entity the   sign prescribed under Subsection (b), or, if applicable, a similar   sign or notice as prescribed by other state law:                (1)  an entity permitted or licensed under Chapter 25,   26, 28, 32, 69, or 71, Alcoholic Beverage Code, other than an entity   holding a food and beverage certificate;                (2)  a cosmetology facility;                (3)  a hospital;                (4)  a massage establishment;                (5)  a massage school;                (6)  a sexually oriented business;                (7)  a tattoo studio; [ or ]                (8)  a transportation hub ; or                 (9)  a body piercing studio .          SECTION 1.04.  Chapter 146, Health and Safety Code, is   amended by adding Section 146.0075 to read as follows:           Sec.   146.0075.     REQUIRED HUMAN TRAFFICKING TRAINING. (a)     Each employee of a tattoo studio or body piercing studio within the   time prescribed by rules adopted by the executive commissioner   shall complete a training course approved by the executive   commissioner on identifying and assisting victims of human   trafficking.           (b)     The executive commissioner shall approve training   courses on human trafficking prevention, including at least one   course that is available without charge. The department shall post   the list of the approved training courses on the department's   Internet website.           (c)     A tattoo studio or body piercing studio shall post signs   relating to human trafficking as required by Section 402.0351,   Government Code.          SECTION 1.05.  Subchapter G, Chapter 1603, Occupations Code,   is amended by adding Section 1603.302 to read as follows:           Sec.   1603.302.     CONTINUING EDUCATION REGARDING HUMAN   TRAFFICKING. The commission shall adopt rules requiring a license   holder to complete continuing education on identifying and   assisting victims of human trafficking.          SECTION 1.06.  Section 20A.02(a), Penal Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (a)  A person commits an offense if the person knowingly:                (1)  traffics another person with the intent that the   trafficked person engage in forced labor or services;                (2)  receives a benefit from participating in a venture   that involves an activity described by Subdivision (1), including   by receiving labor or services the person knows are forced labor or   services;                (3)  traffics another person and, through force, fraud,   or coercion, causes the trafficked person to engage in conduct   prohibited by:                      (A)  Section 43.02 (Prostitution);                      (B)  Section 43.03 (Promotion of Prostitution);                      (B-1)  Section 43.031 (Online Promotion of   Prostitution);                      (C)  Section 43.04 (Aggravated Promotion of   Prostitution);                      (C-1)  Section 43.041 (Aggravated Online   Promotion of Prostitution); or                      (D)  Section 43.05 (Compelling Prostitution);                (4)  receives a benefit from participating in a venture   that involves an activity described by Subdivision (3) or engages   in sexual conduct with a person trafficked in the manner described   in Subdivision (3);                (5)  traffics a child or disabled individual with the   intent that the trafficked child or disabled individual engage in   forced labor or services , regardless of whether the person knows   the age of the child or whether the person knows the victim is   disabled ;                (6)  receives a benefit from participating in a venture   that involves an activity described by Subdivision (5), including   by receiving labor or services the person knows are forced labor or   services , regardless of whether the person knows the age of the   child or whether the person knows the victim is disabled ;                (7)  traffics a child or disabled individual ,   regardless of whether the person knows the age of the child or   whether the person knows the victim is disabled, and by any means   causes the trafficked child or disabled individual to engage in, or   become the victim of, conduct prohibited by:                      (A)  Section 21.02 (Continuous Sexual Abuse of   Young Child or Disabled Individual);                      (B)  Section 21.11 (Indecency with a Child);                      (C)  Section 22.011 (Sexual Assault);                      (D)  Section 22.021 (Aggravated Sexual Assault);                      (E)  Section 43.02 (Prostitution);                      (E-1)  Section 43.021 (Solicitation of   Prostitution);                      (F)  Section 43.03 (Promotion of Prostitution);                      (F-1)  Section 43.031 (Online Promotion of   Prostitution);                      (G)  Section 43.04 (Aggravated Promotion of   Prostitution);                      (G-1)  Section 43.041 (Aggravated Online   Promotion of Prostitution);                      (H)  Section 43.05 (Compelling Prostitution);                      (I)  Section 43.25 (Sexual Performance by a   Child);                      (J)  Section 43.251 (Employment Harmful to   Children); or                      (K)  Section 43.26 (Possession or Promotion of   Child Pornography); or                (8)  receives a benefit from participating in a venture   that involves an activity described by Subdivision (7) or engages   in sexual conduct with a child or disabled individual trafficked in   the manner described in Subdivision (7) , regardless of whether the   person knows the age of the child or whether the person knows the   victim is disabled .          SECTION 1.07.  Section 20A.02(b), Penal Code, as amended by   Chapters 93 (S.B. 1527) and 452 (H.B. 3554), Acts of the 88th   Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, is reenacted and amended to   read as follows:          (b)  Except as otherwise provided by this subsection and   Subsection (b-1), an offense under this section is a felony of the   second degree. An offense under this section is a felony of the   fir [Text truncated for display. Full text available on LegiScan.]