AUSTIN, TEXAS – This week, Speaker Joe Straus (R – San Antonio) appointed Rep. Todd Hunter (R – Corpus Christi) to serve on an interim committee that will study ways in which the State of Texas can fight human trafficking. Rep. Hunter raised the issue earlier this year, during the 82nd Legislature, by filing and passing House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) 68 to create the interim committee following the legislative session.
“I learned about Human Trafficking when I served as Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and was shocked to find out that such a problem exists in Texas,” Rep. Hunter said. “As a father, I want to do whatever I can to ensure that human trafficking in all its forms is shut down in this state.”
According to the U.S. State Department, 800,000 men, women and children are trafficked across international borders every year, and about twenty percent of those people go through the State of Texas.
“It is important for the State of Texas to take a lead role in combating human trafficking due to the state’s large geographical size and busy ports,” Rep. Hunter explained. “I am pleased that Speaker Straus appointed me to this important committee. I am committed to making sure Texas takes a strong stand against the criminals involved in these horrific offenses.”
Human Trafficking is considered to be the recruitment, harboring, transportation, provision, or obtaining of a person for the purpose of labor or a commercial sex act through use of force, fraud or coercion. Any commercial sex act, if the person is under 18 years of age, regardless of whether any form of coercion was involved, is considered human trafficking.
House Concurrent Resolution (HCR) 68 was authored by Rep. Todd Hunter (R – Corpus Christi), Rep. Senfronia Thompson (D – Houston), Rep. Trey Martinez-Fischer (D – San Antonio), Rep. Byron Cook (R – Corsicana) and Rep. Jim Jackson (R – Carrollton) , and co-authored by Rep. Allen Fletcher (R – Houston), Rep. Randy Weber (R – Pearland) and Rep. Bill Zedler (R – Arlington in the Texas House of Representatives. It was sponsored by Senator Leticia Van de Putte (D – San Antonio) and co-sponsored by Senator Dan Patrick (R – Houston) in the Texas Senate.
For related article, see: Human Trafficking: Modern Day Slavery, Dolphin Talk, October 14, 2011 www.thedolphintalk.com
If you are interested in helping rescued victims of human trafficking in the Houston area: www.homeofhopetexas.com
