Texas Border Crackdown: Trafficking Now First-Degree Felony With Up To 99 Years; Parole Ends In Child/Disabled Cases

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed HB 2306 and SB 1212, effective Sept. 1, elevating human trafficking to a first-degree felony with penalties up to 99 years. The laws also end parole for those convicted of trafficking children or disabled Texans. State leaders framed the move as a zero-tolerance stance amid broader border-related trafficking concerns.