Jan
25
Interim Charges
When not in session, the work of the Texas Legislature continues. Though they convene at the capitol in Austin to pass laws for only five months in odd numbered years, interim charges help committees to continue their work. Each committee in both the House and Senate are assigned a set of questions to study prior to the next session. The questions are assigned by the Speaker of the House and the Lieutenant Governor and are often read as a good indication of what issues they feel are most important and should be addressed the following session. The committees convene, often outside of Austin, hear testimony from experts and the public, then publish reports of their findings.
The current interim charges for the House were released by Speaker Straus. Several charges address issues of interest for the CLC, a few of which are set out below. The CLC staff will use this opportunity to interact with lawmakers and their staff and educate them about our policy positions. The entire list of charges can be found here.(PDF)
Hunger and Food-Related Poilcy
House Committee on Agriculture and Livestock & House Committee on Urban Affairs
- Evaluate the role of community gardens and urban farming efforts that increase access to healthy foods and examine the possible impact that state and local policies have on the success of programs of this type. Determine the feasibility of policies to support these efforts, especially in high-population areas.
House Committee on Human Services & House Committee on Public Health
- Identify policies to alleviate food insecurity, increase access to healthy foods, and incent good nutrition within existing food assistance programs. Consider initiatives in Texas and other states to eliminate food deserts and grocery gaps, encourage urban agriculture and farmers’ markets, and increase participation in the Summer Food Program. Evaluate the desirability and feasibility of incorporating nutritional standards in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Monitor congressional activity on the 2012 Farm Bill and consider its impact on Texas.
Predatory Lending
House Committee on Pensions, Investments and Financial Services
- Monitor the implementation of HB 2592 (82R) and HB 2594 (82R), regarding pay day lending.
Education and Literacy
House Committee on Appropriations & House Committee on Higher Education
- Evaluate the funding, performance, and administration of the state’s adult basic education programs.
Though Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst has not released the Senate charges in full, a select interim charge on human trafficking has been issued, which includes the Senate Criminal Justice Committee, along with a separate joint committee study. Watch upcoming newsletters for a link to the full Senate charges when they are released.
Human Trafficking
Joint Interim Committee
- Study the services available for victims of human trafficking provided by federal, state, and local agencies and non-governmental organizations, including the long-range need for safe houses and shelters and the best practices for public/private partnerships providing services to victims. Review procedures and services available for youth that have been identified as sex trafficking victims, including analysis of the appropriate criminal penalties associated with prostitution.
Senate Criminal Justice Committee
- Monitor the implementation of legislation relating to human trafficking in coordination with the Joint Interim Committee to Study Human Trafficking.
Two Recent Reports on Domestic Human Trafficking Policy
Houston Rescue and Restore published its Report on Domestic Minor Trafficking in Houston
The report focuses on the three main pillars of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) prevention, protection and prosecution in Harris and Galveston County. Researchers conducted field assessments in these two counties to have a better understanding on the scope of domestic minor child trafficking in the area. According to the assessment, misidentification of victims continues to be a barrier to providing appropriate services to this population of victims. The report provides a basic foundation for the formation of a comprehensive strategy in both counties in order to better serve the youth at risk of becoming trafficking victims.
A recent report published by Shared Hope International titled, The Protected Innocence Challenge: State Report Cards on the Legal Framework of Protection for the Nation’s Children (PDF), scores each state’s policy efforts to address the issue of domestic minor sex trafficking. Based on their assessment, each state was assigned a letter grade in correspondence with its earned points. The points were given in 6 categories for addressing:
- Criminalization of Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking,
- Criminal Provisions Addressing Demand,
- Criminal Provisions for Traffickers,
- Criminal Provisions for Facilitators,
- Protective Provisions for Child Victims,
- Tools for Investigation and Prosecution.
Because of the legislature’s commitment to the fight against human trafficking during the 82nd legislative session, Texas is now the leader in its anti-trafficking policy efforts for domestic minors.
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