Transcript Highlights:

• In many cases, public intoxication is a part of the grooming and control that traffickers exert over
• And I'm also here as the former director of Governor Abbott's Child Sex Trafficking Team and the former
• Senate Bill 958 serves as a tool that traffickers use by expanding the list of misdemeanors beyond theft
• a victim of trafficking.
• Metcalfe, relating to the payment of restitution by a person released on parole or mandatory supervision

Bills: SB663, SB958

Keywords: community supervision, budget approval, corrections department, strategic plan, judicial oversight, SB 958, Texas Government Code, nondisclosure, order of nondisclosure, criminal history record information, trafficking of persons, human trafficking, compelling prostitution, survivor rights, record sealing, expunction, deferred adjudication, prostitution, controlled substances, theft

Transcript Highlights:

• A lady had been a victim of a burglary where a person had come to her residence and attempted to kill
• whether it's word of mouth or whether the exact person receives it.
• Some of the human trafficking cases are complicated and involve more than one county.
• Thank you. ...a place in which a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy.
• person's consent and with the intent to invade the privacy of another person.

Bills: HB33, HB45, HB48, HB1261, HB1465, HB1778, HB2596, HB5238, SB2969, HB45, HB48

Keywords: HB 48, oilfield theft, organized theft, petroleum products, oil and gas equipment, DPS, Department of Public Safety, Texas, Railroad Commission, criminal justice, energy resources, theft prevention, organized crime, border region, El Paso, law enforcement task force, asset recovery, pipeline theft, drilling equipment, equipment theft

Transcript Highlights:

• whether it's word of mouth or whether the exact person receives it.
• abuse and allows broader use of relationship evidence in cases involving victims of trafficking offenses
• someone who might be a victim of trafficking because many times, there's kind of a Stockholm syndrome
• So a place in which a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy.
• person's consent and with the intent to invade the privacy of another person.

Bills: HB 33, HB 45, HB 48, HB 1261, HB 1465, HB 1778, HB 2596, HB 5238, SB 2969

Keywords: HB 48, oilfield theft, organized theft, petroleum products, oil and gas equipment, DPS, Department of Public Safety, Texas, Railroad Commission, criminal justice, energy resources, theft prevention, organized crime, border region, El Paso, law enforcement task force, asset recovery, pipeline theft, drilling equipment, equipment theft

Transcript Highlights:

• Every day in the state of Texas, survivors of human trafficking are convicted of crimes committed by
• complicated and elongated context of the coercion that victims of human trafficking face.
• the experiences of trafficking victims.
• . to committing under duress for fear of their traffickers.
• times greater than that of their traffickers.

Bills: SB614, SB872, SB1199, SB1212, SB1278, SB1573, SB1588, SB1602, SB1660, SB1704, SB1723, SB1833, SB1858, SB1946, SB2009, SB2146, SB2177, SB2373, SB2460, SB2785

Keywords: forensic science, capital writs, criminal justice, case review, Texas Forensic Science Commission, SB 872, burglary of a vehicle, vehicle burglary, theft of a firearm, stolen gun, firearm theft, Penal Code Section 30.04, third-degree felony, Class A misdemeanor, criminal penalty enhancement, gun theft, vehicle break-in, property crime, sentencing enhancement, Texas criminal law

Transcript Highlights:

• trafficking aspect of it.
• , he'd been trafficked until the age of 14.
• This is something he's going to have to live with for the rest of his life: the trauma of being trafficked
• I'm the president of an organization called No Trafficking Zone, where we break down human trafficking
• So they've changed their method of operation, and certainly, human trafficking continues to be one of

Bills: SB614, SB872, SB1199, SB1212, SB1278, SB1573, SB1588, SB1602, SB1660, SB1704, SB1723, SB1833, SB1858, SB1946, SB2009, SB2146, SB2177, SB2373, SB2460, SB2785

Keywords: forensic science, capital writs, criminal justice, case review, Texas Forensic Science Commission, SB 872, burglary of a vehicle, vehicle burglary, theft of a firearm, stolen gun, firearm theft, Penal Code Section 30.04, third-degree felony, Class A misdemeanor, criminal penalty enhancement, gun theft, vehicle break-in, property crime, sentencing enhancement, Texas criminal law

Transcript Highlights:

• Every day in the state of Texas, survivors of human trafficking are convicted of crimes or traffickers
• and elongated context of the coercion that victims of human trafficking face.
• or other duress or coercion as a victim of trafficking.
• the experience of trafficking victims.
• than that of their traffickers.

Bills: SB 614, SB 872, SB 1199, SB 1212, SB 1278, SB 1573, SB 1588, SB 1602, SB 1660, SB 1704, SB 1723, SB 1833, SB 1858, SB 1946, SB 2009, SB 2146, SB 2177, SB 2373, SB 2460, SB 2785

Keywords: forensic science, capital writs, criminal justice, case review, Texas Forensic Science Commission, SB 872, burglary of a vehicle, vehicle burglary, theft of a firearm, stolen gun, firearm theft, Penal Code Section 30.04, third-degree felony, Class A misdemeanor, criminal penalty enhancement, gun theft, vehicle break-in, property crime, sentencing enhancement, Texas criminal law

Transcript Highlights:

• It provides the definition of the Department of Education as a direct support organization to authorize
• It provides the definition of the Department of Education as a direct support organization to authorize
• Following metrics of implementation will accomplish a multitude of things, from giving the state more
• My name is Michaela Dallaroo, and I'm a part of the Southwest chapter of Florida Youth SHINE.
• The amendment limits the SNAP eligibility carve-out only to individuals who were victims of human trafficking

Bills: S0996, S1022, S1462, S1690

Keywords: dependent children, child welfare, cash allowance, caregivers, community organizations, empowerment, foster care, out-of-home care, temporary cash assistance, eligibility, drug trafficking, human trafficking, Florida statutes

Summary: The Committee on Children, Families, and Elder Affairs heard and advanced four bills. CS/SB 1690, on early childhood education, was amended with a delete-all amendment that required public posting of child care inspection reports and data on child deaths, injuries, and substantiated abuse; changed certain notice and insurance provisions for family and large family child care homes; created the Florida Endowment for Early Learning; and made related definitional changes. The amendment was adopted and the committee reported the bill favorably. SB 1022, on children’s initiatives, would add two new Florida Children’s Initiatives in Bay County and Pompano in Broward County; the sponsor described the program as a community-based service network model, and the bill was reported favorably without opposition. SB 996, on dependent children, would require DCF and community-based care lead agencies to coordinate and regularly meet with organizations focused on people with lived experience in the child welfare system, and to publish how suggestions are implemented. Several young adults with foster care experience testified in support, emphasizing the importance of youth voice, normalcy, and teaching financial responsibility through allowance. The bill was reported favorably after supportive debate. The committee also considered CS/SB 1462, on temporary cash assistance eligibility, after adopting an amendment that narrowed a SNAP eligibility carve-out to people who were victims of human trafficking at the time of a drug conviction. The sponsor said the bill was intended to remove barriers to reunification and redemption. After supportive testimony and no opposition, the committee reported the bill favorably. The meeting then adjourned.

Transcript Highlights:

• It requires the Department of the Attorney General to develop a human trafficking awareness training
• agency instead of department of health? agency instead of department of health?
• Thanks for coming in person. >> Of course. What are you folks making now for those two positions?
• First on our decision-making agenda is SB 2203, establishing the offense of use of a mask or personal
• We'll change the term 'personal disguise' to 'facial covering,' so the offense is use of a mask or facial

Bills: SB2841, SB2533

Keywords: SB2841, human trafficking, trafficking awareness, transient accommodations, hotel industry, lodging, hospitality, hotel workers, housekeeping, front desk staff, contract workers, third-party contractors, employee training, signage, reporting requirements, National Human Trafficking Hotline, labor trafficking, sex trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation of children, anti-trafficking

Summary: The joint Judiciary, Labor, and Technology Committee heard two bills in the morning session and later took up two Judiciary decision-making items. SB 2841 would require human trafficking awareness training for transient accommodation workers. Testimony was generally supportive from the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, the Department of Law Enforcement, and the Hawaii Hotel Alliance/American Hotel and Lodging Association, which also proposed amendments to preserve existing industry training programs and broaden coverage. Members clarified that the administration wanted DLE to be the lead agency instead of DLIR, while the Attorney General would still handle approval of training programs. The committee recommended passage with amendments, including coverage for third-party contractors and implementation dates, and the measure was adopted with no recorded opposition. SB 2533 would adjust the salaries of the Campaign Spending Commission’s executive director and associate director to better align with comparable enforcement/compliance positions. The commission supported the bill, saying its salaries lag behind similar offices by about $30,000 and that recruitment and workload have become more difficult, while one testifier opposed the proposal. Members questioned why the bill used the Department of Health as the salary comparator and whether Ethics would be a better benchmark; the committee agreed to revise the bill to peg the salaries to the Ethics Commission instead, blank out the dollar amounts for further review, and note the requested appropriation in the report. The committee recommended passage with amendments, and the measure was adopted. In the Judiciary decision-making agenda, SB 2203, concerning the use of masks or personal disguises by law enforcement officers, was amended to allow exceptions for officers who are unmasked nearby or who are supporting undercover operations, to change the term to “facial covering,” and to add definitions covering federal, state, and county law enforcement. The committee also set a far-future effective date and passed the bill with amendments. SB 2442, relating to judiciary purchase-of-service contracts with community-based organizations, was also passed with amendments; the committee added a far-future effective date, clarified the consumer price index reference, and noted a recommended appropriation amount of $4.26 million in the committee report. All measures were adopted without recorded no votes or reservations.

Transcript Highlights:

• their being a victim of trafficking.
• non-disclosure to a victim of trafficking.
• of their victimization of trafficking.
• The expanded coverage includes trafficking of persons... ...continuous sexual abuse of a young child
• , and trafficking of persons.

Bills: SB251, SB608, SB487, SB535, SB761, SB955, SB957, SB958, SB988, SB990, SB1019, SB1021, SB1120

Keywords: criminal law, magistrates, Bell County, judicial authority, legal framework, evidence collection, sexual assault kits, reporting, law enforcement, transparency, confidentiality, victim protection, stalking, indecent assault, invasive visual recording, criminal justice, privacy rights, SB 535, Texas criminal procedure, rape shield

Bills: HB54, HB55, HB125, HB133, HB158, HB161, HB168, HB169, HB191, HB245, HB280, HB296, HB399, HB821, HB995

Keywords: parole, rehabilitation, mental health, substance abuse, criminal justice reform, alternative sentencing, juror confidentiality, public records, criminal procedure, privacy, court disclosure, sex offender, sex offense, child predator, registry, registration, notification, supervised release, probation and parole, juvenile offender

Transcript Highlights:

• But some of the bills say real person, and it looked like to me that actual person is The likeness of
• It's the act of distributing sexually explicit images or videos of a person without their consent.
• In some cases, it can even lead to... loss of employment or professional opportunities, damage to personal
• , specifically AI deepfake images, that being images of an identifiable actual person that were made
• If one of those two offenses is against a person of any age, as opposed to limiting it to against a child

Bills: HB207, HB235, HB324, HB449, HB463, HB502, HB 1121, HB1445, HB1465, HB1778, HB1977, HB2000, HB2066, HB2596, HB207, HB235

Keywords: child protection, sexual offenses, obscenity laws, visual material, anatomically correct dolls, mannequins, robots, criminal offenses, sexually explicit material, minors, artificial intelligence, sexually explicit, doll, mannequin, robot, law enforcement, healthcare, insurance, affordable care, access

Transcript Highlights:

• First of all, we want to welcome everyone who's here today in support or opposition.
• We are convening, of course, this morning at 10:30. We also have a session beginning.
• So we will resume our hearing as soon as possible after we leave the floor, according to the terms of
• A couple of other things, members: we've got a bill that... Oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. What bill?
• That we vote on are consistent and meet a pattern that is relative to the severity of the offense.

Bills: HB207, HB235, HB324, HB449, HB463, HB502, HB 1121, HB1445, HB1465, HB1778, HB1977, HB2000, HB2066, HB2596, HB207, HB235

Keywords: child protection, sexual offenses, obscenity laws, visual material, anatomically correct dolls, mannequins, robots, criminal offenses, sexually explicit material, minors, artificial intelligence, sexually explicit, doll, mannequin, robot, law enforcement, healthcare, insurance, affordable care, access

Bills: SCR39

Keywords: border security, southern border, federal immigration policy, illegal immigration, cartels, transnational cartels, fentanyl, drug trafficking, human trafficking, Operation Lone Star, Texas border, National Guard, state guard, border wall, border barriers, customs and border protection, CBP, Department of Homeland Security, reimbursement, state sovereignty

Transcript Highlights:

• Coercion extends this eligibility to all victims of trafficking, regardless of their age.
• Specifically, the bill expands Texas's rape shield protections to include trafficking of persons.
• are a victim of a sexual crime or you're a victim of human trafficking.
• law—two of them are trafficking offenses: trafficking of persons and continuous trafficking of persons
• Instance, I think in the bill layout in the Senate, as I recall, certainly trafficking of a person can

Bills: SB535, SB664, SB1019, SB1020, SB1120, SB1537, SB1804, HB3207

Keywords: SB 535, Texas criminal procedure, rape shield, victim sexual history, past sexual behavior, sexual assault evidence, trafficking of persons, continuous trafficking, indecency with a child, continuous sexual abuse, aggravated sexual assault, indecent assault, consent defense, in camera hearing, Rule 412, Rule 609, victim protection, evidence admissibility, criminal evidence, sexual offense prosecution

Transcript Highlights:

• of the list.
• , of the, the goals of this bill so please do not take my questions as a lack of support. uh, um, I'm
• In the event that there is some level of wind down of of the immigration uh aspects of Operation Lone
• under the 10th Amendment to enforce Texas criminal laws irrespective of where a person.
• Members, questions of the, of the panel.

Bills: SB 36, SB 2202

Keywords: homeland security, border security, critical infrastructure, Department of Public Safety, intelligence operations, public-private partnerships, SB 2202, firearm trafficking, gun trafficking, terrorism, foreign terrorist organization, Texas-Mexico border, United Mexican States, Mexico, DPS, second-degree felony, weapons transfer, illegal firearms transfer, arms smuggling, cross-border crime

Transcript Highlights:

• of remuneration, a firearm to an individual who the person knows is a member of a foreign terrorist organization
• goes to an individual who the person knows is a member of the FTO.
• that we already have in 6.03, a person is acting knowingly if they are aware of the nature of their conduct
• goes to an individual who the person knows is a member of the FTO.
• that we already have in 6.03, a person is acting knowingly if they are aware of the nature of their

Bills: SB36, SB2202

Keywords: homeland security, border security, critical infrastructure, Department of Public Safety, intelligence operations, public-private partnerships, SB 2202, firearm trafficking, gun trafficking, terrorism, foreign terrorist organization, Texas-Mexico border, United Mexican States, Mexico, DPS, second-degree felony, weapons transfer, illegal firearms transfer, arms smuggling, cross-border crime

Summary: The Senate Committee on Border Security heard Senator Birdwell present SB 2202, which would create a state offense for knowingly transferring a firearm for profit or other remuneration to a member of a foreign terrorist organization. Birdwell argued the bill responds to cartel violence and southbound gun trafficking, and he explained a committee substitute that removed an exemption for federally licensed gun dealers and removed a requirement that DPS coordinate with Mexican law enforcement. He said the goal was to give Texas a state-level tool if federal enforcement is lacking. Invited testimony came from DPS Colonel Freeman Martin and border prosecution unit chair Tanya Ash. Both said the bill could be useful in some organized-crime and cartel cases, but they emphasized that proving a defendant knowingly transferred a gun to a foreign terrorist organization would be difficult and would usually require strong direct or circumstantial evidence, such as recorded statements, informants, or coordinated investigations. They said the measure would be more workable in complex cartel cases than in routine patrol stops, and they noted existing state and federal tools already address straw purchases, firearms trafficking, and related offenses. Members also discussed tracing seized firearms, cooperation with ATF, and the limits of state jurisdiction over international issues. No public testimony was offered, and SB 2202 was left pending. The committee then took up SB 36 as pending business. A committee substitute was adopted without objection, and the substitute bill was reported favorably to the full Senate by a 4-0 vote, with Senators Birdwell, Flores, Hinojosa of Hidalgo, Eckhardt, and Hinojosa of Nueces participating. The committee also accepted a motion in writing and ordered the bill recommended for local and uncontested calendar placement. The chair then announced the committee would recess subject to call.

Transcript Highlights:

• And what you see is a result of good policy, a result of good policymakers, a result of collaborative
• , takes care of the bottom of page 12, but he also mentioned the top of page 13.
• It expands state services and coordination for victims of human trafficking, including young adults.
• My name is Mary Kate Andropan, the director of the Office of Human Trafficking Prevention within the
• None of that's happening. None of that. Okay.

Bills: HR249, HR251, HB395, HB902, SB83, SB132, SB157, SB338, SB450, SB484, SB501, SB507

Keywords: artificial intelligence, AI, BESE, State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, content standards, K-12 education, public schools, curriculum, digital literacy, computer science, STEM, technology education, student privacy, ethical AI, workforce development, future-ready workforce, instructional resources, education policy, school standards, Louisiana education

Transcript Highlights:

• One of the questions is, was this person, like, were they paying the home, like, they getting paid.
• in the 88th session for passage into law. on behalf of all persons with disabilities, our most vulnerable
• It would be aware of the conversation with the Deaf and hard of hearing person would be different, but
• But to communicate with a deaf or hard of hearing person, but writing notes on a pen and paper. error
• Businesses should understand that hiring a deaf and hard of hearing person would make this. the great

Bills: HB451, HB645, HB 1041, HB 1151, HB 1155, HB1536, HCR12, HCR12

Keywords: commercial sexual exploitation, child sex trafficking, human trafficking, child welfare, foster care, DFPS, Department of Family and Protective Services, juvenile probation, risk assessment, needs assessment, trauma screening, child abuse prevention, exploitation screening, validated screening tool, evidence-informed tool, conservatorship, juvenile justice, at-risk youth, trafficking prevention, Child Sex Trafficking Prevention Unit

Transcript Highlights:

• this committee a couple of times, past the house floor.
• priority so we hope to work with all the entities to make sure that we have of this important piece of
• I've been coming to the legislature for 40 years. to testify for the rights of DeafBlind citizens of
• I have lived as a DeafBlind person for all of these years.
• Of course, like I said, I'm a native Texan, so here in Texas at the age of three, they started to try

Bills: HB451, HB645, HB 1041, HB 1151, HB 1155, HB1536, HCR12, HCR12

Keywords: commercial sexual exploitation, child sex trafficking, human trafficking, child welfare, foster care, DFPS, Department of Family and Protective Services, juvenile probation, risk assessment, needs assessment, trauma screening, child abuse prevention, exploitation screening, validated screening tool, evidence-informed tool, conservatorship, juvenile justice, at-risk youth, trafficking prevention, Child Sex Trafficking Prevention Unit

Transcript Highlights:

• of this state.
• .. ...form of remuneration, a firearm to an individual who the person knows is a member of a foreign
• to an individual who the person knows is a member of the foreign terrorist organization (FTO).
• A person is acting knowingly if they are aware of the nature of their conduct or the circumstances surrounding
• And that's kind of the definition of a lot of these folks; they don't know who the cartel is.

Bills: SB36, SB2202, SB 36

Keywords: homeland security, border security, critical infrastructure, Department of Public Safety, intelligence operations, public-private partnerships, SB 2202, firearm trafficking, gun trafficking, terrorism, foreign terrorist organization, Texas-Mexico border, United Mexican States, Mexico, DPS, second-degree felony, weapons transfer, illegal firearms transfer, arms smuggling, cross-border crime