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SB1278 • 2025

Relating to an affirmative defense to prosecution for victims of trafficking of persons or compelling prostitution.

Relating to an affirmative defense to prosecution for victims of trafficking of persons or compelling prostitution.

Vetoed

The latest official action shows the governor vetoed this bill. Check the bill history to see whether lawmakers later overrode that veto.

Sponsor
Parker
Last action
2025-06-22
Official status
06/22/2025 E Vetoed by the Governor
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Relating to an affirmative defense to prosecution for victims of trafficking of persons or compelling prostitution.

Relating to an affirmative defense to prosecution for victims of trafficking of persons or compelling prostitution.

What This Bill Does

  • Relating to an affirmative defense to prosecution for victims of trafficking of persons or compelling prostitution.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2025-06-22 Texas Legislature Online

    Vetoed by the Governor

  2. 2025-05-27 Texas Legislature Online

    Sent to the Governor

  3. 2025-05-26 Texas Legislature Online

    Signed in the Senate

  4. 2025-05-26 Texas Legislature Online

    Signed in the House

  5. 2025-05-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Read 3rd time

  6. 2025-05-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Passed

  7. 2025-05-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Record vote. RV#3356

  8. 2025-05-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal

  9. 2025-05-23 Texas Legislature Online

    House passage reported

  10. 2025-05-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Reported enrolled

  11. 2025-05-22 Texas Legislature Online

    Read 2nd time

  12. 2025-05-22 Texas Legislature Online

    Passed to 3rd reading

  13. 2025-05-22 Texas Legislature Online

    Record vote. RV#3281

  14. 2025-05-22 Texas Legislature Online

    Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal

  15. 2025-05-21 Texas Legislature Online

    Placed on General State Calendar

  16. 2025-05-19 Texas Legislature Online

    Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator

  17. 2025-05-19 Texas Legislature Online

    Committee report distributed

  18. 2025-05-19 Texas Legislature Online

    Committee report sent to Calendars

  19. 2025-05-19 Texas Legislature Online

    Considered in Calendars

  20. 2025-05-15 Texas Legislature Online

    Considered in formal meeting

  21. 2025-05-15 Texas Legislature Online

    Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)

  22. 2025-05-13 Texas Legislature Online

    Scheduled for public hearing on . . .

  23. 2025-05-13 Texas Legislature Online

    Considered in public hearing

  24. 2025-05-13 Texas Legislature Online

    Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee

  25. 2025-05-13 Texas Legislature Online

    Left pending in committee

  26. 2025-05-12 Texas Legislature Online

    Posting rule suspended

  27. 2025-05-10 Texas Legislature Online

    Read first time

  28. 2025-05-10 Texas Legislature Online

    Referred to Criminal Jurisprudence

  29. 2025-05-08 Texas Legislature Online

    Received from the Senate

  30. 2025-05-07 Texas Legislature Online

    Co-author authorized

  31. 2025-05-07 Texas Legislature Online

    Rules suspended-Regular order of business

  32. 2025-05-07 Texas Legislature Online

    Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment

  33. 2025-05-07 Texas Legislature Online

    Vote recorded in Journal

  34. 2025-05-07 Texas Legislature Online

    Three day rule suspended

  35. 2025-05-07 Texas Legislature Online

    Record vote

  36. 2025-05-07 Texas Legislature Online

    Read 3rd time

  37. 2025-05-07 Texas Legislature Online

    Passed

  38. 2025-05-07 Texas Legislature Online

    Record vote

  39. 2025-05-07 Texas Legislature Online

    Reported engrossed

  40. 2025-05-06 Texas Legislature Online

    Placed on intent calendar

  41. 2025-05-05 Texas Legislature Online

    Reported favorably as substituted

  42. 2025-05-05 Texas Legislature Online

    Recommended for local & uncontested calendar

  43. 2025-05-05 Texas Legislature Online

    Committee report printed and distributed

  44. 2025-04-29 Texas Legislature Online

    Scheduled for public hearing on . . .

  45. 2025-04-29 Texas Legislature Online

    Considered in public hearing

  46. 2025-04-29 Texas Legislature Online

    Testimony taken in committee

  47. 2025-04-29 Texas Legislature Online

    Vote taken in committee

  48. 2025-02-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Read first time

  49. 2025-02-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Referred to Criminal Justice

  50. 2025-02-14 Texas Legislature Online

    Received by the Secretary of the Senate

  51. 2025-02-14 Texas Legislature Online

    Filed

Official Summary Text

Relating to an affirmative defense to prosecution for victims of trafficking of persons or compelling prostitution.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
89(R) SB 1278 - Enrolled version - Bill Text

S.B. No. 1278

AN ACT

relating to an affirmative defense to prosecution for victims of

trafficking of persons or compelling prostitution.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Chapter 8, Penal Code, is amended by adding

Section 8.09 to read as follows:

Sec.

8.09.

VICTIM OF TRAFFICKING OR COMPELLING

PROSTITUTION.

(a)

It is an affirmative defense to prosecution that

the actor was a victim of an offense under Section 20A.02 or 43.05

who engaged in the conduct charged because the person who had

committed the offense of which the actor was a victim:

(1) coerced the actor;

(2) caused the actor to act under duress; or

(3)

threatened the actor or a member of the actor's

family or household with imminent death or serious bodily injury.

(b) Subsection (a) does not apply if:

(1)

the coercion, duress, or threat would not cause a

reasonable person to engage in the conduct charged; or

(2)

the actor was merely provided an opportunity to

engage in the conduct.

(c)

Information relevant to the identification of a

defendant's status as a victim of an offense described by

Subsection (a) may be offered to establish an affirmative defense

under this section.

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only

to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.

An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is

governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed,

and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For

purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the

effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred

before that date.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

______________________________

______________________________

President of the Senate

Speaker of the House

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1278 passed the Senate on

May 7, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

______________________________

Secretary of the Senate

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1278 passed the House on

May 23, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 140, Nays 0, one

present not voting.

______________________________

Chief Clerk of the House

Approved:

______________________________

Date

______________________________

Governor