Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas As lawmakers our most important responsibility is to ensure the physical safety of all 25 million men women & children who call Texas home. Thats why we must continue to improve our border security and stop deadly spillover violence from coming across our borders said Lt. Governor David Dewhurst earlier this morning while announcing the Senate select Interim Charges to three Senate Committees relating to border security and human trafficking. In the last decade Texas has seen a disturbing influx of drugs human trafficking and transnational gangs.
Washington has failed to live up to their Constitutional duty to secure our borders but Texas has done our part said Dewhurst.
Since 2006 the Texas Legislature has dedicated over $400 million to improve border security including additional Department of Public Safety officers helicopters and patrol vehicles. Dewhurst tasked Senate Committees with the following:
Transportation & Homeland Security Committee
- Examine the impact of border violence and illegal trafficking on the Texas economy including the infringement on Texas property rights. Make recommendations for enhancing Border security and maximizing federal resources targeted for this purpose.
- Study the appropriate role of Texas state military forces in enhancing the safety of all Texans and make recommendations for improving the coordination accountability and effectiveness of all components of our state military forces including the national state and air guards. Identify limitations on the forces providing border security and other operations and make recommendations for better coordination with federal state and local law enforcement agencies. (Joint Charge with the Transportation & Homeland Security Committee)
Joint Interim Committee to Study Human Trafficking
- 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.
Criminal Justice Committee
- Review statutes and regulations relating to money laundering to enhance state federal and local efforts to combat money laundering and enforce administrative and criminal actions against perpetrators of money laundering.
- Monitor the implementation of legislation relating to human trafficking in coordination with the Joint Interim Committee to Study Human Trafficking.
