Text of article effective on January 01, 2025
Art. 2A.205.  CERTAIN LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES: REPORT CONCERNING HUMAN TRAFFICKING CASES.  (a)  This article applies only to:
(1)  a municipal police department, sheriff's department, constable's office, county attorney's office, district attorney's office, and criminal district attorney's office, as applicable, in a county with a population of more than 50,000; and
(2)  the Department of Public Safety.
(b)  An entity to which this article applies that investigates the alleged commission of an offense under Chapter 20A, Penal Code, or the alleged commission of an offense under Chapter 43, Penal Code, that may involve human trafficking, shall submit to the attorney general a report in the manner and form prescribed by the attorney general containing the following information:
(1)  the offense being investigated, including a brief description of the alleged prohibited conduct;
(2)  regarding each person suspected of committing the offense and each victim of the offense, as applicable:
(A)  the person's:
(i)  age;
(ii)  gender; and
(iii)  race or ethnicity, as defined by Article 2B.0051; and
(B)  the case number associated with the offense and with the person suspected of committing the offense;
(3)  the date, time, and location of the alleged offense;
(4)  the type of human trafficking involved, including:
(A)  forced labor or services, as defined by Section 20A.01, Penal Code;
(B)  causing the victim by force, fraud, or coercion to engage in prohibited conduct involving one or more sexual activities, including conduct described by Section 20A.02(a)(3), Penal Code; or
(C)  causing a child victim by any means to engage in, or become the victim of, prohibited conduct involving one or more sexual activities, including conduct described by Section 20A.02(a)(7), Penal Code;
(5)  if available, information regarding any victims' service organization or program to which the victim was referred as part of the investigation; and
(6)  the disposition of the investigation, if any, regardless of the manner of disposition.
(c)  An attorney representing the state who prosecutes the alleged commission of an offense under Chapter 20A, Penal Code, or the alleged commission of an offense under Chapter 43, Penal Code, that may involve human trafficking, shall submit to the attorney general the following information:
(1)  the offense being prosecuted, including a brief description of the alleged prohibited conduct;
(2)  any other charged offense that is part of the same criminal episode out of which the offense described by Subdivision (1) arose;
(3)  the information described by Subsections (b)(2), (3), (4), and (5); and
(4)  the disposition of the prosecution, regardless of the manner of disposition.
(d)  The attorney general may enter into a contract with a university that provides for the university's assistance in the collection and analysis of information received under this article.
(e)  In consultation with the entities described by Subsection (a), the attorney general shall adopt rules to administer this article, including rules prescribing:
(1)  the form and manner of submission of a report required by Subsection (b) or (c); and
(2)  additional information to include in a report required by Subsection (b) or (c).
Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 765 (H.B. 4504), Sec. 1.001, eff. January 1, 2025.