Rachel Adcock
Last week, the House
Judiciary and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee heard two bills aimed at
helping the fight against human trafficking in Texas.
One bill, HB-8, addresses both the punishment of
offenders and the need for victim protection. HB-8, or Jessica’s Law,
classifies any sexual solicitation of a minor or use of funds from the
prostitution of a minor as a second-degree felony, a change from their previous
classification as Class A misdemeanors. This bill also changes the sex offender
enhancement to include indecency with a child.
HB-8 also protects victims of trafficking or similar sexual
offenses by allowing them to maintain the confidentiality of their addresses
and personal information through the Address Confidentiality Program. HB-8
would also make victims of human trafficking eligible to receive funding from
the Crime Victims’ Compensation Program. Click here for more information on this bill.
The second bill, HB 386 further affects the way those
charged with human trafficking are prosecuted. This bill increases the
punishment for convictions of human trafficking, the aim of which is to deter
other people from committing the same acts. State Rep. Senfronia Thompson
(D-Houston) authored GB 386. Listen to her commentary on the bill here.
(Photo Source: The Texas Tribune)
Though both bills are still awaiting further committee
review, they both hold great promise in the Texas fight against human
trafficking.
No comments:
Post a Comment