Governor Rick Perry signed legislation today that toughens penalties for people convicted of human trafficking. House Bill 3000 creates a first-degree felony charge for people convicted two or more times of illegally transporting people into the U.S. Another conviction on the Continuous Trafficking of Persons charge would result in a life sentence in prison.
The other law enacted today, Senate Bill 24, follows guidelines set forth by an Attorney General's Task Force to combat human trafficking. It creates felony charges for compelling prostitution and makes trafficking for forced labor or forced sexual acts first-degree felonies.
The new laws take effect September 1.
