The governor must create the Child Sex Trafficking Prevention Unit and appoint its director; the unit must coordinate prevention efforts and related support activities.
Sec. 772.0062. CHILD SEX TRAFFICKING PREVENTION UNIT. (a) In this section: (1) "Child sex trafficking" means conduct constituting an offense under Section 20A.02(a)(7) or (8), Penal Code, that is committed against a child. (2) "Unit" means the Child Sex Trafficking Prevention Unit. (b) The governor shall establish the Child Sex Trafficking Prevention Unit within the criminal justice division established under Section 772.006. (c) The governor shall appoint a director for the unit to serve at the pleasure of the governor. (d) The unit shall: (1) assist the following agencies in leveraging and coordinating state resources directed toward child sex trafficking prevention: (A) the office of the attorney general; (B) the Health and Human Services Commission; (C) the Department of Family and Protective Services; (D) the Texas Juvenile Justice Department; (E) the Department of State Health Services; (F) the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission; and (G) the Department of Public Safety; (2) facilitate collaborative efforts among the agencies under Subdivision (1) to: (A) prevent child sex trafficking; (B) recover victims of child sex trafficking; and (C) place victims of child sex trafficking in suitable short-term and long-term housing; (3) collect and analyze research and information in all areas related to child sex trafficking, and distribute the research, information, and analyses to the agencies and to relevant nonprofit organizations; (4) refer victims of child sex trafficking to available rehabilitation programs and other resources; (5) provide support for child sex trafficking prosecutions; and (6) develop recommendations for improving state efforts to prevent child sex trafficking, to be submitted to the legislature as part of the criminal justice division's biennial report required under Section 772.006(a)(9). Added by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 332 (H.B. 10), Sec. 11, eff. September 1, 2015. Amended by: Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 93 (S.B. 1527), Sec. 2.10, eff. September 1, 2023.