As the Texas legislative session heads into its final 10 days, the House and Senate are accelerating the passage of bills as several procedural deadlines loom. Here’s a look at some of the action in the Capitol on Friday.
Tougher penalties for human trafficking
Current law makes most cases of human trafficking a second-degree felony, meaning prison time is limited to two years to 20 years behind bars.
The House agreed with the Senate to make “any conduct” constituting human trafficking a first-degree felony, which means the maximum penalty jumps 99 years in prison.
Senate Bill 1212 passed the House by a lopsided 131-5 vote. It now goes to the governor’s desk.
Medical records and biological sex
The House passed legislation that requires the creation of a new field in electronic medical records for the sex assigned at birth of patients. And it would penalize anyone who would change the records.
Under Senate Bill 1188, electronic medical records would show “an individual’s biological sex as either male or female based on the individual’s observed biological sex recorded by a health care practitioner at birth.”
The measure passed 86-49, largely along party lines. Because the House amended its version of the bill, it returns to the Senate for consideration of the changes.
Steeper fines for dangerous railroad crossings
It’s going to be more expensive for drivers who ignore a flaggers warning not to cross a railroad track because of an oncoming train or other potential dangers.
The current penalty for a person who commits such an offense “when a flagger is present and warning of the danger “may be too low to deter drivers,” according to the official analysis of Senate Bill 2129.
At present, the fines can range from$50 to $200. If the governor signs SB 2129, that range becomes $200 to $400.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Down to the wire: Bills on human trafficking, biological sex and railroad crossings advance
Reporting by John C. Moritz, Austin American-Statesman / Austin American-Statesman
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
