Bill Text: TX HB1218 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to the prosecution of and punishment for the offense of prostitution.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-04-27 - Considered in Calendars [HB1218 Detail]

Download: Texas-2017-HB1218-Introduced.html

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85R6060 MAW-F
By: Johnson of Dallas H.B. No. 1218

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the prosecution of and punishment for the offense of
prostitution.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 43.02, Penal Code, as amended by
Chapters 332 (H.B. 10) and 1273 (S.B. 825), Acts of the 84th
Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, is amended by reenacting and
amending Subsection (c) and reenacting Subsection (c-1) to read as
follows:
(c) An offense under Subsection (a) is a Class B
misdemeanor, except that the offense is:
(1) a Class A misdemeanor if the actor has previously
been convicted three, four, or five [one or two] times of an offense
under Subsection (a); or
(2) a state jail felony if the actor has previously
been convicted six [three] or more times of an offense under
Subsection (a).
(c-1) An offense under Subsection (b) is a Class B
misdemeanor, except that the offense is:
(1) a Class A misdemeanor if the actor has previously
been convicted one or two times of an offense under Subsection (b);
(2) a state jail felony if the actor has previously
been convicted three or more times of an offense under Subsection
(b); or
(3) a felony of the second degree if the person
solicited is:
(A) younger than 18 years of age, regardless of
whether the actor knows the age of the person solicited at the time
the actor commits the offense;
(B) represented to the actor as being younger
than 18 years of age; or
(C) believed by the actor to be younger than 18
years of age.
SECTION 2. Chapter 32, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
amended by adding Article 32.03 to read as follows:
Art. 32.03. DISMISSAL OF CERTAIN PROSTITUTION OFFENSES. At
any time before trial commences for an offense under Section 43.02,
Penal Code, a court may, on the request of the defendant and with
the consent of the attorney representing the state, defer
proceedings without entering an adjudication of guilt and permit
the defendant to participate in a commercially sexually exploited
persons court program established under Chapter 126, Government
Code, or in a first offender prostitution prevention program
established under Chapter 169, Health and Safety Code, if the
defendant is otherwise eligible to participate in the program under
the applicable chapter. If the defendant successfully completes
the commercially sexually exploited persons court program or
prostitution prevention program, the court may dismiss the
proceedings against the defendant and discharge the defendant.
SECTION 3. Article 62.001(5), Code of Criminal Procedure,
is amended to read as follows:
(5) "Reportable conviction or adjudication" means a
conviction or adjudication, including an adjudication of
delinquent conduct or a deferred adjudication, that, regardless of
the pendency of an appeal, is a conviction for or an adjudication
for or based on:
(A) a violation of Section 21.02 (Continuous
sexual abuse of young child or children), 21.11 (Indecency with a
child), 22.011 (Sexual assault), 22.021 (Aggravated sexual
assault), or 25.02 (Prohibited sexual conduct), Penal Code;
(B) a violation of Section 43.05 (Compelling
prostitution), 43.25 (Sexual performance by a child), or 43.26
(Possession or promotion of child pornography), Penal Code;
(B-1) a violation of Section 43.02
(Prostitution), Penal Code, if the offense is punishable under
Subsection (c-1)(3) [(c)(3)] of that section;
(C) a violation of Section 20.04(a)(4)
(Aggravated kidnapping), Penal Code, if the actor committed the
offense or engaged in the conduct with intent to violate or abuse
the victim sexually;
(D) a violation of Section 30.02 (Burglary),
Penal Code, if the offense or conduct is punishable under
Subsection (d) of that section and the actor committed the offense
or engaged in the conduct with intent to commit a felony listed in
Paragraph (A) or (C);
(E) a violation of Section 20.02 (Unlawful
restraint), 20.03 (Kidnapping), or 20.04 (Aggravated kidnapping),
Penal Code, if, as applicable:
(i) the judgment in the case contains an
affirmative finding under Article 42.015; or
(ii) the order in the hearing or the papers
in the case contain an affirmative finding that the victim or
intended victim was younger than 17 years of age;
(F) the second violation of Section 21.08
(Indecent exposure), Penal Code, but not if the second violation
results in a deferred adjudication;
(G) an attempt, conspiracy, or solicitation, as
defined by Chapter 15, Penal Code, to commit an offense or engage in
conduct listed in Paragraph (A), (B), (C), (D), (E), or (K);
(H) a violation of the laws of another state,
federal law, the laws of a foreign country, or the Uniform Code of
Military Justice for or based on the violation of an offense
containing elements that are substantially similar to the elements
of an offense listed under Paragraph (A), (B), (B-1), (C), (D), (E),
(G), (J), or (K), but not if the violation results in a deferred
adjudication;
(I) the second violation of the laws of another
state, federal law, the laws of a foreign country, or the Uniform
Code of Military Justice for or based on the violation of an offense
containing elements that are substantially similar to the elements
of the offense of indecent exposure, but not if the second violation
results in a deferred adjudication;
(J) a violation of Section 33.021 (Online
solicitation of a minor), Penal Code; or
(K) a violation of Section 20A.02(a)(3), (4),
(7), or (8) (Trafficking of persons), Penal Code.
SECTION 4. Section 126.001(a), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) In this chapter, "commercially sexually exploited
persons court program" means a program that has the following
essential characteristics:
(1) the integration of services in the processing of
cases in the judicial system;
(2) the use of a nonadversarial approach involving
prosecutors and defense attorneys to promote public safety, to
reduce the demand for the commercial sex trade and trafficking of
persons by educating offenders, and to protect the due process
rights of program participants;
(3) early identification and prompt placement of
eligible participants in the program;
(4) access to information, counseling, and services
relating to commercial sexual exploitation, trafficking of
persons, sex addiction, sexually transmitted diseases, mental
health, and substance abuse;
(5) a coordinated strategy to govern program responses
to participant compliance;
(6) monitoring and evaluation of program goals and
effectiveness;
(7) continuing interdisciplinary education to promote
effective program planning, implementation, and operations; and
(8) development of partnerships with public agencies
and community organizations.
SECTION 5. Section 126.004(a), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) A commercially sexually exploited persons court program
established under this chapter must:
(1) ensure that a person eligible for the program is
provided legal counsel before volunteering to proceed through the
program and while participating in the program;
(2) allow any participant to withdraw from the program
at any time before a trial on the merits has been initiated;
(3) provide each participant with information,
counseling, and services relating to commercial sexual
exploitation, trafficking of persons, sex addiction, sexually
transmitted diseases, mental health, and substance abuse; and
(4) provide each participant with instruction related
to the prevention of prostitution.
SECTION 6. Section 402.035(d), Government Code, as amended
by Chapters 146 (H.B. 188) and 332 (H.B. 10), Acts of the 84th
Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, is reenacted and amended to
read as follows:
(d) The task force shall:
(1) collaborate, as needed to fulfill the duties of
the task force, with:
(A) United States attorneys' offices [Attorneys'
Offices] for all of the federal districts of Texas; and
(B) special agents or customs and border
protection officers and border patrol agents of:
(i) the Federal Bureau of Investigation;
(ii) the United States Drug Enforcement
Administration;
(iii) the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco,
Firearms and Explosives;
(iv) United States Immigration and Customs
Enforcement; or
(v) the United States Department of
Homeland Security;
(2) collect, organize, and periodically publish
statistical data on the nature and extent of human trafficking in
this state, including data described by Subdivisions (4)(A), (B),
(C), (D), and (E);
(3) solicit cooperation and assistance from state and
local governmental agencies, political subdivisions of the state,
nongovernmental organizations, and other persons, as appropriate,
for the purpose of collecting and organizing statistical data under
Subdivision (2);
(4) ensure that each state or local governmental
agency and political subdivision of the state and each state or
local law enforcement agency, district attorney, or county attorney
that assists in the prevention of human trafficking collects
statistical data related to human trafficking, including, as
appropriate:
(A) the number of investigations concerning,
arrests and prosecutions for, and convictions of:
(i) the offense of trafficking of persons;
(ii) the offense of forgery or an offense
under Chapter 43, Penal Code, if the offense was committed as part
of a criminal episode involving the trafficking of persons; and
(iii) an offense punishable under Section
43.02(c-1)(3) [43.02(c)(3)], Penal Code, regardless of whether the
offense was committed as part of a criminal episode involving the
trafficking of persons;
(B) demographic information on persons who are
convicted of offenses described by Paragraph (A) and persons who
are the victims of those offenses;
(C) geographic routes by which human trafficking
victims are trafficked, including routes by which victims are
trafficked across this state's international border, and
geographic patterns in human trafficking, including the country or
state of origin and the country or state of destination;
(D) means of transportation and methods used by
persons who engage in trafficking to transport their victims; and
(E) social and economic factors that create a
demand for the labor or services that victims of human trafficking
are forced to provide;
(5) work with the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement
to develop and conduct training for law enforcement personnel,
victim service providers, and medical service providers to identify
victims of human trafficking;
(6) work with the Texas Education Agency, the
Department of Family and Protective Services, and the Health and
Human Services Commission to:
(A) develop a list of key indicators that a
person is a victim of human trafficking;
(B) develop a standardized curriculum for
training doctors, nurses, emergency medical services personnel,
teachers, school counselors, school administrators, and personnel
from the Department of Family and Protective Services and the
Health and Human Services Commission to identify and assist victims
of human trafficking;
(C) train doctors, nurses, emergency medical
services personnel, teachers, school counselors, school
administrators, and personnel from the Department of Family and
Protective Services and the Health and Human Services Commission to
identify and assist victims of human trafficking;
(D) develop and conduct training for personnel
from the Department of Family and Protective Services and the
Health and Human Services Commission on methods for identifying
children in foster care who may be at risk of becoming victims of
human trafficking; and
(E) develop a process for referring identified
human trafficking victims and individuals at risk of becoming
victims to appropriate entities for services;
(7) on the request of a judge of a county court, county
court at law, or district court or a county attorney, district
attorney, or criminal district attorney, assist and train the judge
or the judge's staff or the attorney or the attorney's staff in the
recognition and prevention of human trafficking;
(8) examine training protocols related to human
trafficking issues, as developed and implemented by federal, state,
and local law enforcement agencies;
(9) collaborate with state and local governmental
agencies, political subdivisions of the state, and nongovernmental
organizations to implement a media awareness campaign in
communities affected by human trafficking;
(10) develop recommendations on how to strengthen
state and local efforts to prevent human trafficking, protect and
assist human trafficking victims, curb markets and other economic
avenues that facilitate human trafficking and investigate and
prosecute human trafficking offenders;
(11) examine the extent to which human trafficking is
associated with the operation of sexually oriented businesses, as
defined by Section 243.002, Local Government Code, and the
workplace or public health concerns that are created by the
association of human trafficking and the operation of sexually
oriented businesses; [and]
(12) develop recommendations for addressing the
demand for forced labor or services or sexual conduct involving
victims of human trafficking, including recommendations for
increased penalties for individuals who engage or attempt to engage
in prostitution with victims younger than 18 years of age; and
(13) [(12)] identify and report to the governor and
legislature on laws, licensure requirements, or other regulations
that can be passed at the state and local level to curb trafficking
using the Internet and in sexually oriented businesses.
SECTION 7. Section 169.001(a), Health and Safety Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) In this chapter, "first offender prostitution
prevention program" means a program that has the following
essential characteristics:
(1) the integration of services in the processing of
cases in the judicial system;
(2) the use of a nonadversarial approach involving
prosecutors and defense attorneys to promote public safety, to
reduce the demand for the commercial sex trade and trafficking of
persons by educating offenders, and to protect the due process
rights of program participants;
(3) early identification and prompt placement of
eligible participants in the program;
(4) access to information, counseling, and services
relating to commercial sexual exploitation, trafficking of
persons, sex addiction, sexually transmitted diseases, mental
health, and substance abuse;
(5) a coordinated strategy to govern program responses
to participant compliance;
(6) monitoring and evaluation of program goals and
effectiveness;
(7) continuing interdisciplinary education to promote
effective program planning, implementation, and operations; and
(8) development of partnerships with public agencies
and community organizations.
SECTION 8. Section 169.003(a), Health and Safety Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) A first offender prostitution prevention program
established under this chapter must:
(1) ensure that a person eligible for the program is
provided legal counsel before volunteering to proceed through the
program and while participating in the program;
(2) allow any participant to withdraw from the program
at any time before a trial on the merits has been initiated;
(3) provide each participant with information,
counseling, and services relating to commercial sexual
exploitation, trafficking of persons, sex addiction, sexually
transmitted diseases, mental health, and substance abuse; and
(4) provide each participant with classroom
instruction related to the prevention of prostitution.
SECTION 9. 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 10. To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails
over another Act of the 85th Legislature, Regular Session, 2017,
relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted
codes.
SECTION 11. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.