2023 Texas Statutes › Penal Code › Title 5 - Offenses Against the Person › Chapter 20A - Trafficking of Persons › Section 20A.02. Trafficking of Persons

Sec. 20A.02.  TRAFFICKING OF PERSONS.  (a)  A person commits an offense if the person knowingly:
(1)  traffics another person with the intent that the trafficked person engage in forced labor or services;
(2)  receives a benefit from participating in a venture that involves an activity described by Subdivision (1), including by receiving labor or services the person knows are forced labor or services;
(3)  traffics another person and, through force, fraud, or coercion, causes the trafficked person to engage in conduct prohibited by:
(A)  Section 43.02 (Prostitution);
(B)  Section 43.03 (Promotion of Prostitution);
(B-1)  Section 43.031 (Online Promotion of Prostitution);
(C)  Section 43.04 (Aggravated Promotion of Prostitution);
(C-1)  Section 43.041 (Aggravated Online Promotion of Prostitution); or
(D)  Section 43.05 (Compelling Prostitution);
(4)  receives a benefit from participating in a venture that involves an activity described by Subdivision (3) or engages in sexual conduct with a person trafficked in the manner described in Subdivision (3);
(5)  traffics a child or disabled individual with the intent that the trafficked child or disabled individual engage in forced labor or services;
(6)  receives a benefit from participating in a venture that involves an activity described by Subdivision (5), including by receiving labor or services the person knows are forced labor or services;
(7)  traffics a child or disabled individual and by any means causes the trafficked child or disabled individual to engage in, or become the victim of, conduct prohibited by:
(A)  Section 21.02 (Continuous Sexual Abuse of Young Child or Disabled Individual);
(B)  Section 21.11 (Indecency with a Child);
(C)  Section 22.011 (Sexual Assault);
(D)  Section 22.021 (Aggravated Sexual Assault);
(E)  Section 43.02 (Prostitution);
(E-1)  Section 43.021 (Solicitation of Prostitution);
(F)  Section 43.03 (Promotion of Prostitution);
(F-1)  Section 43.031 (Online Promotion of Prostitution);
(G)  Section 43.04 (Aggravated Promotion of Prostitution);
(G-1)  Section 43.041 (Aggravated Online Promotion of Prostitution);
(H)  Section 43.05 (Compelling Prostitution);
(I)  Section 43.25 (Sexual Performance by a Child);
(J)  Section 43.251 (Employment Harmful to Children); or
(K)  Section 43.26 (Possession or Promotion of Child Pornography); or
(8)  receives a benefit from participating in a venture that involves an activity described by Subdivision (7) or engages in sexual conduct with a child or disabled individual trafficked in the manner described in Subdivision (7).
(a-1)  Repealed by Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 807 (H.B. 1540), Sec. 62(5) and Ch. 905 (H.B. 3521), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2021.
Text of subsection as amended by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 93 (S.B. 1527), Sec. 2.02
(b)  Except as otherwise provided by this subsection and Subsection (b-1), an offense under this section is a felony of the second degree.  An offense under this section is a felony of the first degree if:
(1)  the applicable conduct constitutes an offense under Subsection (a)(5), (6), (7), or (8), regardless of whether the actor knows the age of the child or whether the actor knows the victim is disabled at the time of the offense;
(2)  the commission of the offense results in serious bodily injury to or the death of the person who is trafficked;
(3)  the commission of the offense results in the death of an unborn child of the person who is trafficked; or
(4)  the actor:
(A)  used or exhibited a deadly weapon during the commission of the offense;
(B)  intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly impeded the normal breathing or circulation of the blood of the trafficked person by applying pressure to the person's throat or neck or by blocking the person's nose or mouth; or
(C)  recruited, enticed, or obtained the trafficked person from a shelter or facility operating as a residential treatment center that serves runaway youth, foster children, the homeless, or persons subjected to human trafficking, domestic violence, or sexual assault.
Text of subsection as amended by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 452 (H.B. 3554), Sec. 1
(b)  Except as otherwise provided by this subsection and Subsection (b-1), an offense under this section is a felony of the second degree.  An offense under this section is a felony of the first degree if:
(1)  the applicable conduct constitutes an offense under Subsection (a)(5), (6), (7), or (8), regardless of whether the actor knows the age of the child at the time of the offense;
(2)  the commission of the offense results in the death of the person who is trafficked; or
(3)  the commission of the offense results in the death of an unborn child of the person who is trafficked.
Text of subsection as amended by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 451 (H.B. 3553), Sec. 2
(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 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
(B)  an institution of higher education or private or independent institution of higher education, as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code; or
(2)  on premises or within 1,000 feet of 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.
Text of subsection as amended by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 452 (H.B. 3554), Sec. 1
(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 the offense in a location that was:
(1)  on the premises of or within 1,000 feet of the premises of:
(A)  a school;
(B)  a juvenile detention facility;
(C)  a post-adjudication secure correctional facility;
(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;
(E)  a community center offering youth services and programs; or
(F)  a child-care facility, as defined by Section 42.002, Human Resources Code; or
(2)  on premises or within 1,000 feet of 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.
(c)  If conduct constituting an offense under this section also constitutes an offense under another section of this code, the actor may be prosecuted under either section or under both sections.
(d)  If the victim of an offense under Subsection (a)(7)(A) is the same victim as a victim of an offense under Section 21.02, a defendant may not be convicted of the offense under Section 21.02 in the same criminal action as the offense under Subsection (a)(7)(A) unless the offense under Section 21.02:
(1)  is charged in the alternative;
(2)  occurred outside the period in which the offense alleged under Subsection (a)(7)(A) was committed; or
(3)  is considered by the trier of fact to be a lesser included offense of the offense alleged under Subsection (a)(7)(A).
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 641, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Amended by:
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 258 (S.B. 11), Sec. 16.02, eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 849 (H.B. 1121), Sec. 5, eff. June 15, 2007.
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1002 (H.B. 4009), Sec. 7, eff. September 1, 2009.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 24), Sec. 1.02, eff. September 1, 2011.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 480 (H.B. 2529), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2017.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 685 (H.B. 29), Sec. 30, eff. September 1, 2017.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 858 (H.B. 2552), Sec. 15, eff. September 1, 2017.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1038 (H.B. 1808), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2017.
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 273 (S.B. 1802), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2019.
Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 413 (S.B. 20), Sec. 3.11, eff. September 1, 2019.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 221 (H.B. 375), Sec. 2.26, eff. September 1, 2021.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 807 (H.B. 1540), Sec. 22, eff. September 1, 2021.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 807 (H.B. 1540), Sec. 62(5), eff. September 1, 2021.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 905 (H.B. 3521), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2021.
Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1049 (S.B. 1831), Sec. 6, eff. September 1, 2021.
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 93 (S.B. 1527), Sec. 2.02, eff. September 1, 2023.
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 451 (H.B. 3553), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2023.
Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 452 (H.B. 3554), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2023.