SB955

SB955 increases punishment for human trafficking tied to correctional facilities. It makes a trafficking offense first-degree when the offender recruited, enticed or obtained the trafficked person from a correctional facility while that person was confined there. Separately, it adds correctional facilities to the locations where trafficking committed on the premises or within 1,000 feet carries a first-degree sentence of 25–99 years or life when the location is proved at trial. The recruitment rule is expressly subject to that higher-minimum location rule. Prosecutors must still prove an underlying trafficking offense; merely communicating with someone in custody is not made a new offense by this act. Sections 1–2; Underlying trafficking offenses.

“Correctional facility” is broader than a state prison: the Penal Code definition covers places legally designated for confinement of someone arrested, charged or convicted, including municipal/county jails, state-prison facilities, specified contracted facilities and community corrections facilities. Ordinary second-degree punishment is 2–20 years; ordinary first-degree punishment is 5–99 years or life, with a possible fine up to $10,000 in either category. The new location enhancement instead sets a 25-year minimum. Other existing enhancements can already make trafficking first-degree. Correctional facility definition, (a)(14); First-degree range; Second-degree range; Special 25-year minimum.

The bill also consolidates overlapping 2023 amendments to the punishment provisions. Existing factors such as child/disabled victims, serious injury/death, weapons, strangulation and specified shelter recruitment are retained. Existing school, higher-education, juvenile-facility, shelter, youth-center, child-care and school/UIL-event location provisions are likewise carried forward; they are not all new SB955 enhancements. Separate pre-act versions of (b) and (b-1); Reenacted provisions.

Signed June 20, 2025, the act took effect September 1, 2025. It applies only to offenses committed on or after that date. If any element occurred earlier, the offense remains governed by prior law. History; Sections 3–4.