H.B. No. 4418 amends the Business & Commerce Code to enhance the authority of county and district attorneys in Texas regarding the enforcement of human trafficking awareness and prevention in commercial lodging establishments. The bill allows these attorneys, in addition to the attorney general, to provide written notice to operators of commercial lodging establishments suspected of violations, detailing the nature of the violation and the potential civil penalties if the violation is not cured within 30 days.

Furthermore, the bill grants county and district attorneys the ability to initiate legal actions to recover civil penalties or seek injunctive relief for compliance with the relevant chapter. It specifies that actions taken by these attorneys must be filed in the district court of the county where the violation occurs. Additionally, any civil penalties recovered by county or district attorneys will be payable to the respective county where the court is located. The provisions of this act are set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Commerce Code 114.0102, Commerce Code 114.0104 (Commerce Code 114)