The bill 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. Specifically, it allows these attorneys, alongside 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.

Additionally, 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 stipulates that any action taken by a county or district attorney must be preceded by notification to the attorney general, and it specifies the jurisdiction for such actions. Furthermore, any civil penalties recovered by county or district attorneys will be payable to the respective county where the court action was held. The bill is set to take effect 91 days after the conclusion of the legislative session.

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