Grassroots Priorities 2.0

SB1212

Signed by Governor
Authored by Angela Paxton (R)
View at Source

Caption: Relating to the prosecution and punishment for the offense of trafficking of persons; increasing a criminal penalty.
Initially Referred to Senate Criminal Justice Committee, chaired by a Republican
Last Referred to House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee, chaired by a Republican

SB 1212 increases penalties for human trafficking offenses in Texas. The bill makes all offenses under Section 20A.02 of the Penal Code (Trafficking of Persons) a first-degree felony, eliminating the previous distinction where certain offenses were classified as second-degree felonies. Additionally, if the trafficking offense occurs within 1,000 feet of a school, university, juvenile detention center, homeless shelter, youth center, or child-care facility, the offense carries a mandatory sentence of life imprisonment or a term of 25 to 99 years. The bill also expands the scope of trafficking offenses to explicitly include disabled individuals and clarifies that a perpetrator does not need to know the victim's age or disability status to be held liable. Furthermore, SB 1212 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to allow evidence of prior sexual offenses to be admissible in trials related to human trafficking of children or disabled individuals. The new penalties apply only to offenses committed on or after the bill's effective date of September 1, 2025.

Co-authors: Alvarado (D); Huffman (R); Middleton (R); Parker (R)
Sponsors: Kerwin (R)
Co-sponsors: Alders (R); Cain (R); Gerdes (R); Isaac (R); LaHood (R); Little (R); Lopez, J. (R); Lozano (R); Money (R); Richardson (R); Shofner (R); Smithee (R); Vasut (R); Virdell (R)

Feb 11, 2025

(S) Paxton signed onto the bill as Author
(S) Received by the Secretary of the Senate
(S) Filed

Feb 28, 2025

(S) Read first time
(S) Referred to the Senate Criminal Justice, chaired by a Republican

Apr 24, 2025

(S) Middleton signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(S) Co-author authorized

Apr 29, 2025

(S) Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
(S) Considered in public hearing
(S) Testimony taken in committee
(S) Vote taken in committee

May 5, 2025

(S) Reported favorably w/o amendments
(S) Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
(S) Committee report printed and distributed

May 6, 2025

(S) Parker signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(S) Huffman signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(S) Co-author authorized
(S) Placed on intent calendar

May 7, 2025

(S) Alvarado signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(S) Co-author authorized
(S) Rules suspended-Regular order of business
(S) Vote recorded in Journal
(S) Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment

20250507_SB1212_E: Yea 30 (R 20, D 10) - Nay 1 (R 0, D 1)
Yea - A. Hinojosa; Alvarado; Bettencourt; Birdwell; Blanco; Campbell; Cook; Creighton; Eckhardt; Flores; Gutierrez; Hagenbuch; Hall; Hancock; Huffman; Hughes; J. Hinojosa; Johnson; King; Kolkhorst; Menendez; Middleton; Miles; Nichols; Parker; Paxton; Perry; Schwertner; Sparks; Zaffirini
Nay - West
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(S) Vote recorded in Journal
(S) Three day rule suspended
(S) Record vote
(S) Read 3rd time
(S) Passed

20250507_SB1212_3R: Yea 30 (R 20, D 10) - Nay 1 (R 0, D 1)
Yea - A. Hinojosa; Alvarado; Bettencourt; Birdwell; Blanco; Campbell; Cook; Creighton; Eckhardt; Flores; Gutierrez; Hagenbuch; Hall; Hancock; Huffman; Hughes; J. Hinojosa; Johnson; King; Kolkhorst; Menendez; Middleton; Miles; Nichols; Parker; Paxton; Perry; Schwertner; Sparks; Zaffirini
Nay - West
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(S) Record vote
(S) Reported engrossed
(H) Received from the Senate

May 8, 2025

(H) Read first time
(H) Referred to the House Criminal Jurisprudence, chaired by a Republican

May 12, 2025

(H) Considered in formal meeting
(H) Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)

May 14, 2025

(H) Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
(H) Committee report distributed
(H) Committee report sent to Calendars

May 19, 2025

(H) Considered in Calendars

May 21, 2025

(H) Placed on General State Calendar

May 22, 2025

(H) Read 2nd time
(H) Passed to 3rd reading
(H) Record vote

RV#3257: Yea 134 (R 78, D 56) - Nay 0 (R 0, D 0)
View Source
Yea - Alders; Allen; Anchia; Ashby; Barry; Bell, C.; Bell, K.; Bernal; Bhojani; Bonnen; Bowers; Bryant; Buckley; Bumgarner; Button; Cain; Campos; Capriglione; Cole; Cook; Cortez; Craddick; Cunningham; Curry; Darby; Davis, A.; Davis, Y.; Dean; DeAyala; Dorazio; Dutton; Dyson; Fairly; Flores; Frank; Gamez; Garcia Hernandez; Garcia, J.; Garcia, L.; Gates; Geren; Gonzalez, J.; Gonzalez, M.; Goodwin; Guerra; Guillen; Harless; Harris Davila; Harrison; Hayes; Hefner; Hernandez; Hickland; Hinojosa; Holt; Hopper; Howard; Hull; Isaac; Johnson; Jones, J.; Jones, V.; Kerwin; Kitzman; Lalani; Lambert; Leach; Leo Wilson; Little; Longoria; Lopez, J.; Lopez, R.; Louderback; Lowe; Lozano; Lujan; Luther; Manuel; Martinez; Martinez Fischer; McLaughlin; McQueeney; Metcalf; Meyer; Meza; Money; Moody; Morales, C.; Morales, E.; Morales Shaw; Morgan; Munoz; Noble; Olcott; Oliverson; Ordaz; Orr; Patterson; Paul; Perez, M.; Perez, V.; Phelan; Pierson; Plesa; Raymond; Reynolds; Richardson; Rodriguez Ramos; Rose; Rosenthal; Schatzline; Schofield; Schoolcraft; Shaheen; Shofner; Simmons; Slawson; Spiller; Swanson; Talarico; Tinderholt; Toth; Troxclair; Turner; VanDeaver; Vasut; Villalobos; Vo; Walle; Ward Johnson; Wharton; Wilson; Wu; Zwiener
Absent - Canales; Collier; Romero; Thompson; Virdell
Present, Not Voting - Burrows; Landgraf
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May 23, 2025

(H) Read 3rd time
(H) Passed
(H)

RV#3335: Yea 131 (R 83, D 48) - Nay 5 (R 0, D 5)
View Source
Yea - Alders; Allen; Anchia; Ashby; Barry; Bell, C.; Bell, K.; Bernal; Bhojani; Bonnen; Bowers; Buckley; Bucy; Bumgarner; Button; Cain; Capriglione; Cole; Cook; Cortez; Craddick; Cunningham; Curry; Darby; Davis, A.; Davis, Y.; Dean; DeAyala; Dorazio; Dyson; Fairly; Flores; Frank; Gamez; Garcia Hernandez; Garcia, L.; Gates; Gerdes; Geren; Gervin-Hawkins; Gonzalez, J.; Gonzalez, M.; Goodwin; Guerra; Guillen; Harless; Harris Davila; Harrison; Hayes; Hefner; Hernandez; Hickland; Hinojosa; Holt; Hopper; Howard; Hull; Hunter; Isaac; Jones, J.; Jones, V.; Kerwin; King; Kitzman; LaHood; Lalani; Lambert; Landgraf; Leach; Leo Wilson; Little; Longoria; Lopez, J.; Louderback; Lowe; Lozano; Lujan; Luther; Manuel; Martinez; McLaughlin; McQueeney; Metcalf; Meyer; Meza; Money; Moody; Morales, C.; Morales, E.; Morales Shaw; Morgan; Munoz; Noble; Olcott; Oliverson; Ordaz; Orr; Patterson; Perez, M.; Perez, V.; Phelan; Pierson; Plesa; Raymond; Reynolds; Richardson; Rodriguez Ramos; Rose; Schatzline; Schofield; Schoolcraft; Shaheen; Shofner; Slawson; Spiller; Swanson; Talarico; Tepper; Tinderholt; Toth; Troxclair; Turner; VanDeaver; Villalobos; Virdell; Vo; Walle; Ward Johnson; Wharton; Wilson; Zwiener
Nay - Canales; Collier; Romero; Rosenthal; Wu
Absent - Dutton; Lopez, R.; Martinez Fischer; Simmons; Thompson
Present, Not Voting - Burrows; Vasut
Please note: the following statements by legislators do not affect the vote count that was recorded.
Cody Vasut: "When Record No. 3335 was taken, I was presiding in the chair and was shown voting present, not voting. I intended to vote yes." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)
Jolanda Jones: "When Record No. 3335 was taken, I was shown voting yes. I intended to vote no." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)
Jon Rosenthal: "When Record No. 3335 was taken, I was shown voting no. I intended to vote yes." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)
Trey Martinez Fischer: "When Record No. 3335 was taken, I was in the house but away from my desk. I would have voted yes." (view other statements of vote for this Rep)
You can view which lawmakers have received money from a specific PAC
by selecting the PAC from the list below:

(S) House passage reported
(S) Reported enrolled

May 26, 2025

(S) Signed in the Senate
(H) Signed in the House

May 27, 2025

(E) Sent to the Governor

(S) Lozano signed onto the bill as Cosponsor
(S) Lopez, J. signed onto the bill as Cosponsor
(S) Little signed onto the bill as Cosponsor
(S) LaHood signed onto the bill as Cosponsor
(S) Isaac signed onto the bill as Cosponsor
(S) Gerdes signed onto the bill as Cosponsor
(S) Cain signed onto the bill as Cosponsor
(S) Alders signed onto the bill as Cosponsor
(S) Money signed onto the bill as Cosponsor
(S) Richardson signed onto the bill as Cosponsor
(S) Shofner signed onto the bill as Cosponsor
(S) Smithee signed onto the bill as Cosponsor
(S) Vasut signed onto the bill as Cosponsor
(S) Virdell signed onto the bill as Cosponsor
(S) Kerwin signed onto the bill as Sponsor

Lobbying Against/For/On This Bill

For

(Tue 4/29/2025) Testifying before S Criminal Justice as Bridgette Salyer for self
(Tue 4/29/2025) Testifying before S Criminal Justice as Jacquelyn Aluotto for self (with No trafficking zone)
(Tue 4/29/2025) Testifying before S Criminal Justice as Mary Wells for self (with Breaking the Chains)
(Tue 4/29/2025) Testifying before S Criminal Justice as Natalie Trivibulchaikul for self (with Texas Counter Trafficking Initiative)
(Tue 4/29/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as Brian Hawthorne for Sheriffs' Association of Texas (SAT)
(Tue 4/29/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as Frank McDaniel for self
(Tue 4/29/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as James Kershaw for Harris County Deputies' Organization FOP #39
(Tue 4/29/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as James Parnell for Dallas Police Association
(Tue 4/29/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as Jason Sabo for Children at Risk
(Tue 4/29/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as Jennifer Easley for Texas Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
(Tue 4/29/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as Jennifer Szimanski for Combined Law Enforcement Association of Texas (CLEAT)
(Tue 4/29/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as John Wilkerson for Texas Municipal Police Association (TMPA)
(Tue 4/29/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as of Texas for Combined Law Enforcement Association of Texas (CLEAT)
(Tue 4/29/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as Thomas Parkinson for self

(Tue 4/29/2025) Registering before S Criminal Justice as Amy Meredith for Office of the Attorney General