Senate Committee on State Affairs - 87th R.S. (2021)
Committee: | Senate State Affairs | |
Title: | Interim Report | |
Subjects: | Abortion | Biometric identification | Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act | Employees Retirement System of Texas | Human trafficking | Investment of public funds | Licensing and Regulation, Texas Department of | Privacy | Public retirement systems | Sexually oriented businesses | Teacher Retirement System of Texas | | |
Library Call Number: | L1836.87 St29a | |
Session: | 87th R.S. (2021) | |
Online version: | View report [36 pages File size: 779 kb] | |
Charges: | This report should address the charges below. | |
1. | Protecting the Unborn: Monitor the impact of SB 8, 87th R.S., The Texas Heartbeat Act, and the expanded funding for alternatives to abortion programs passed by the 87th Legislature. Study alternatives to abortion programs' effectiveness in meeting the needs of pregnant and post-partum women and recommend how the Legislature should strengthen the program. Recommend ways to provide additional alternatives to abortion and comprehensive informed consent resources to mothers who are expecting. | |
2. | Human Trafficking: Examine opportunities and make recommendations to reduce the profitability of and demand for human trafficking in Texas. Determine ways to increase public awareness of the proliferation of human trafficking, as well as resources for victims and survivors. Monitor the implementation of HB 1540, 87th R.S., and examine changes in arrest rates, judicial dispositions, and sentencing amongst offenders due to provisions of the legislation. Examine opportunities for attorneys to combat human trafficking in their local communities, including use of the Deceptive Trade Practices Act, to generate revenue for local law enforcement officials combatting human trafficking. Make any other recommendations to further prevent human trafficking. | |
3. | Privacy and Transparency: Review the current state laws that protect and secure individuals' biometric identifiers. Explore ways to protect against the use of biometric identifiers for unintended purposes without an individual's consent and make recommendations to the Senate. Study websites that closely resemble government websites or fraudulently represent companies that they are not, including websites that use names of state agencies or licenses. Make recommendations to ensure that Texans' are not mislead, taken advantage, or defrauded, especially when they try to seek assistance from a state website. | |
4. | Investment Practices: Study the investment practices of financial services firms and how those practices affect the state’s public pensions. Make recommendations to ensure the state’s public pension funds are not being invested to further political or social causes. |
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