Both bills by the Senate and House would increase the penalty for smuggling to at least a third-degree felony with a mandatory minimum 10-year jail sentence.
But the House's bill also said family members could get a reduced sentence, even if the smuggler is requiring payment or carrying a gun.
In the morning, the committee made it clear that they were not going to advance the House version because of that language. But when committee members briefly reconvened several hours later, Sen. Flores presented a committee substitute in which the contested language in the House bill was removed. The committee then voted to advance the updated bill to the Senate floor. Bob Libal, a consultant with the advocacy organization Human Rights Watch, testified against the bills. He said both would mostly impact young U.S. citizens who are recruited off social media to drive migrants from border communities to bigger cities.
In the morning, the Senate committee also passed a bill that would create a state-run Border Force to deter migrants crossing the border illegally, and another that would make it a state crime to bypass a legal port of entry when entering Texas. Neither of these bills are what the governor asked for when he called a special session. And, the House is not in session to approve either bill or the human smuggling bill because it already adjourned sine die.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Texas Senate committee signals that immigration legislation is dead this special sessionA state Senate committee gave a strong signal that it is not going to approve an immigration bill the House of Representatives passed last week, which could effectively kill one of the governor’s priorities for this special session (via TexasTribune)
Read more »
Texas Senate panel advances bill increasing penalty for human smugglingThe proposal, written by Sen. Pete Flores, R-Lakeway, establishes a “mandatory minimum” prison sentence of 10 years.
Read more »
Texas Senate convenes for special session’s second weekThe Texas Senate will be back at work Tuesday but it’s not clear if members will pass one of Gov. Greg Abbott’s top priorities in this special session.
Read more »
Texas Senate committee OKs bill letting state arrest illegal border crossingsLegal experts believe if the bill is passed and signed into law it will likely face court challenges.
Read more »
Proposal to increase penalties for human smuggling stalls in Texas SenateA committee on Tuesday declined to advance a House bill that would increase penalties for smuggling and operating a stash house. The move comes as both chambers are already at an impasse over property-tax relief.
Read more »
Texas House 'gave the bird' to homeowners by refusing to negotiate property tax plan, Lt. Gov. Patrick saidThe Texas House and Senate are in a standoff over the best way to offer property tax relief.
Read more »