HB3189 - Relating to increasing the criminal penalty for certain conduct constituting the offense of trafficking of persons.

  89R15200 AJZ-D     By: Kerwin H.B. No. 3189       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to increasing the criminal penalty for certain conduct   constituting the offense of trafficking of persons.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 20A.02(b-1), Penal Code, as amended by   Chapters 451 (H.B. 3553) and 452 (H.B. 3554), Acts of the 88th   Legislature, Regular Session, 2023, is reenacted and amended to   read as follows:          (b-1)  An offense under this section is a felony of the first   degree punishable by imprisonment in the Texas Department of   Criminal Justice for life or for a term of not more than 99 years or   less than 25 years if it is shown on the trial of the offense that   the actor committed any part of the offense [ in a location that   was ]:                (1)  on the premises of or within 1,000 feet of the   premises of:                      (A)  a school or a school bus stop or other area   designated by a school as a pick-up or drop-off zone for students ;   [ or ]                      (B)  an institution of higher education or private   or independent institution of higher education, as defined by   Section 61.003, Education Code;                       (C)  [ (B) ]  a juvenile detention facility;                       (D)  [ (C) ]  a post-adjudication secure   correctional facility;                       (E)  [ (D) ]  a shelter or facility operating as a   residential treatment center that serves runaway youth, foster   children, people who are homeless, or persons subjected to human   trafficking, domestic violence, or sexual assault;                       (F)  [ (E) ]  a community center offering youth   services and programs; or                       (G)  [ (F) ]  a child-care facility, as defined by   Section 42.002, Human Resources Code; [ or ]                (2)  on the premises where or within 1,000 feet of the   premises where:                      (A)  an official school function was taking place;   or                      (B)  an event sponsored or sanctioned by the   University Interscholastic League was taking place ; or                 (3)     in a school bus or other passenger transportation   vehicle of a school .          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, 2025.