Accountability.
A Texas law that took effect September 1, 2025 eliminates parole eligibility for certain people convicted of trafficking children or people with disabilities.
House Bill 2306 applies to specified trafficking offenses involving forced labor or sexual exploitation. It also covers certain people who profit from trafficking or cause victims to engage in prohibited sexual conduct.
The change means a person convicted under the covered provisions must serve the full sentence rather than becoming eligible for discretionary parole. The law was authored by Rep. Denise Villalobos, coauthored by Rep. Terry Canales and sponsored in the Senate by Sen. Tan Parker.
A separate measure, Senate Bill 1212, increased the classification of Texas human-trafficking offenses to first-degree felonies. A first-degree felony generally carries a sentence of five to 99 years or life, although the precise punishment depends on the conviction and applicable enhancements.
Families should understand that parole eligibility is governed by the law in effect when an offense was committed. The new restriction therefore should not be assumed to apply retroactively to every person already serving a trafficking sentence.