Texas 89th Legislature, 2nd Called Session (2025) Status: In Committee

HB 236 — Relating to an affirmative defense to prosecution for certain victims of trafficking of persons or compelling prostitution.

Last action — Referred to Criminal Jurisprudence

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced August 18, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the House.

Prognosis

Stalled 24% · moderate confidence

Where this bill stands today.

Odds of enactment

Low

How often bills like it became law.

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 58 sponsors

    5 primary, 53 co-sponsors signed on.

Prognosis reads this bill's own signals — stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes and cross-state momentum. Odds come from a model trained on which bills have become law.

Bill Text

How this bill changes current law

1 change Share ↗

Compared against the Texas statutes as published AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

This bill amends 1 section(s) of the Texas statutes: Section 8.09, Penal Code.

  • Section 8.09, Penal Code

    Sec. 8.09. VICTIM OF TRAFFICKING OR COMPELLING PROSTITUTION. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), it is an affirmative defense to prosecution that the actor: (1) was a victim of an offense under Section 20A.02 or 43.05; and (2) engaged in the conduct that is the subject of the prosecution as a direct result of being caused, through means of force, fraud, or coercion as described by Subsection (c), to engage in that specific conduct. (b) Subsection (a) applies only if: (1) the actor would not have engaged in the conduct that is the subject of the prosecution but for the use of force, fraud, or coercion; (2) the use of force, fraud, or coercion would have compelled a reasonable person in the actor's circumstances to engage in the conduct; (3) the actor was not merely afforded an opportunity to engage in the conduct without the use of force, fraud, or coercion; and (4) the conduct does not constitute an offense listed in Article 42A.054(a), Code of Criminal Procedure, unless the actor is charged only as a party to that offense under Section 7.01. (c) For purposes of this section, "force, fraud, or coercion" has the same meaning as in Section 20A.02. (d) Information relevant to the identification of a defendant's status as a victim of an offense described by Subsection (a)(1) may be offered to establish an affirmative defense under this section. (e) For purposes of this section, the actor is not required to prove that the person using force, fraud, or coercion to cause the actor to engage in the conduct that is the subject of the prosecution was charged with or convicted of an offense under Section 20A.02 or 43.05.

    amended

Action History

  1. Referred to Criminal Jurisprudence

  2. Read first time

  3. Filed

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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5 sponsors · 53 co-sponsors · 126 not signed on

Sponsors (5)

Co-sponsors (53)

Not signed on (126)

126 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 126 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

civil-rights
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 236?
HB 236 is sponsored by Leo Wilson, Terri Leo Wilson, Trey Wharton, Wes Virdell, Denise Villalobos, Cody Vasut, Ellen Troxclair, Steve Toth, Tony Tinderholt, Carl Tepper, Valoree Swanson, David Spiller, Shelby Slawson, Joanne Shofner, Matt Shaheen, Alan Schoolcraft, Nate Schatzline, Keresa Richardson, Katrina Pierson, Dennis Paul, Jared Patterson, Angelia Orr, Tom Oliverson, Mike Olcott, Matt Morgan, Brent Money, Will Metcalf, John McQueeney, Don McLaughlin, Shelley Luther, David Lowe, Janie Lopez, Jeff Leach, Marc LaHood, Helen Kerwin, Andy Hopper, Hillary Hickland, Cole Hefner, Cody Harris, Stan Gerdes, James B. Frank, Caroline Fairly, Paul Dyson, Mark Dorazio, Jay Dean, Pat Curry, Charles Cunningham, Briscoe Cain, Brad Buckley, Keith Bell, Daniel Alders, Gary Gates, Ben Bumgarner, AJ Louderback, Janis Holt, Richard Hayes, David Cook, and Caroline Harris Davila.
What is the current status of HB 236?
This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced August 18, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track HB 236?
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