Relating to human trafficking prevention, including training for medical assistants, disclosure of human trafficking information by certain health care facilities, and protection for facility employees who report human trafficking.
relating to human trafficking prevention, including training for
medical assistants, disclosure of human trafficking information by
certain health care facilities, and protection for facility
employees who report human trafficking.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subtitle G, Title 4, Health and Safety Code, is
amended by adding Chapter 328 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 328. HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION IN CERTAIN FACILITIES
Sec. 328.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
(1) “Facility” has the meaning assigned by Section
31.002.
(2) “Medical assistant” has the meaning assigned by
Section 763.001.
Sec. 328.002. HUMAN TRAFFICKING SIGNS REQUIRED. (a) A
facility shall display a sign, at least 11 inches by 17 inches in
size, written in at least a 16-point font and in the form prescribed
by the attorney general, that includes:
(1) the following statements:
(A) “All health care practitioners and medical
assistants are required to receive human trafficking prevention
training.”; and
(B) “An employee may not be disciplined,
retaliated against, or otherwise discriminated against for
reporting in good faith a suspected act of human trafficking.”;
(2) information on recognizing and reporting human
trafficking and a list of human trafficking indicators;
(3) a phone number the attorney general designates for
reporting a suspected act of human trafficking or a violation of
this chapter; and
(4) contact information for reporting suspicious
activity to the Department of Public Safety.
(b) The sign described by Subsection (a) must be posted:
(1) in a location easily visible to all facility
employees; and
(2) separately in English, Spanish, and any other
primary language spoken by 10 percent or more of the facility’s
employees.
Sec. 328.003. DISCRIMINATION AND RETALIATION PROHIBITED. A
facility may not discipline, retaliate against, or otherwise
discriminate against a facility employee who in good faith reports
a suspected act of human trafficking to the facility, a law
enforcement agency, the National Human Trafficking Resource
Center, the attorney general, or another appropriate authority.
SECTION 2. Subtitle A, Title 9, Health and Safety Code, is
amended by adding Chapter 763 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 763. HUMAN TRAFFICKING PREVENTION TRAINING
SUBCHAPTER A. TRAINING FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANTS
Sec. 763.001. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
(1) “Commission” means the Health and Human Services
Commission.
(2) “Executive commissioner” means the executive
commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission.
(3) “Human trafficking” means conduct that
constitutes an offense under Section 20A.02, Penal Code.
(4) “Medical assistant” means an individual who, under
the supervision of a physician, assists with patient care
management, executes administrative duties, and performs clinical
procedures, including:
(A) conducting aseptic procedures;
(B) obtaining vital signs;
(C) preparing patients for the physician’s care;
(D) performing venipunctures and non-intravenous
injections;
(E) observing and reporting patients’ symptoms;
(F) administering basic first aid;
(G) assisting with patient examinations or
treatments;
(H) operating office medical equipment;
(I) collecting routine laboratory specimens, as
directed by the physician;
(J) administering medication, as directed by the
physician;
(K) performing basic laboratory procedures; and
(L) performing dialysis procedures, including
home dialysis.
Sec. 763.002. REQUIRED HUMAN TRAFFICKING TRAINING. A
medical assistant, within the time prescribed by commission rule,
shall successfully complete a training course approved by the
executive commissioner on identifying, assisting, and reporting
victims of human trafficking.
Sec. 763.003. TRAINING COURSE APPROVAL. (a) The executive
commissioner shall:
(1) approve training courses on human trafficking
prevention, including at least one course available without charge;
and
(2) post a list of the approved training courses on the
commission’s Internet website.
(b) The executive commissioner shall update the list of
approved training courses described by Subsection (a) as necessary
and consider for approval training courses conducted by health care
facilities.
SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the attorney general shall design the sign required by
Section 328.002, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 4. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human
Services Commission shall approve and post on the commission’s
Internet website the list of approved human trafficking prevention
training courses and adopt rules necessary to implement Subchapter
A, Chapter 763, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
