Bills to address the illegal importation and exploitation of persons and to protect the state’s border with Mexico moved through the Texas House last week. They were the first major statewide legislation to be approved by the body since Jan. 13, the opening day of the 140-day session.
The human trafficking bill, House Bill 10 by Rep. Senfronia Thompson, D-Houston, concerns criminal and civil consequences for the smuggling or trafficking of human beings. On March 17, it passed on a final vote of 145-0. The border security bill, HB 11 by Rep. Dennis Bonnen, R-Angleton, passed March 19 on a final vote of 130-11. The eleven who voted against the bill were: Reps. Diego Bernal, Joe Farias, Roland Gutierrez, Trey Martinez Fischer, Justin Rodriguez, all Democrats of San Antonio; Rep. Cesar Jose Blanco, D-El Paso; Rep. Mary Gonzalez, D-Clint (near El Paso); Rep. Celia Israel, D-Austin; Reps. Borris Miles and Armando Walle, both Houston Democrats; and one Republican, David Simpson of Tyler. Some of the opposition resulted from the bill’s heavy focus on Hidalgo and Starr counties, and issues also arose over the cost of the legislation and how the funding might be better spent on other budget priorities.
Rep. Rafael Anchia, D-Dallas, who chairs the House Committee on International Trade and Intergovernmental Affairs, issued the following statement on the passage of HB 11: “First, HB 11 gets the state guard off the border. Militarizing the border sends the wrong signal to our states’ No. 1 trading partner, Mexico, and costs the state $650 million in annual gross product. Next, it deploys important law enforcement resources to help interdict international drug cartels and criminal gangs. Finally, it establishes southbound checkpoints to stop the flow of illegal guns from Texas which have been used by cartels to terrorize the people of Mexico.”
Ed Sterling works for the Texas Press Association and follows the Legislature for the organization.
edsterling@texaspress.com