El Paso nonprofit thankful for new anti-human trafficking laws

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA)-- This week Governor Greg Abbott signed two anti-human trafficking bills into law, and the Paso Del Norte Center of Hope says this is a win for the victims.

"We've been really grateful for the movement. At the legislature this year. We've seen a number of bills get passed that really benefit not only the victims, but also provide harsher penalties for the traffickers and for buyers," says Executive Director of Paso Del Norte Center of Hope, Nicole Schiff.

House bill 2306, which was co-authored by State Reps. From El Paso Joe Moody, Eddie Morales, Vincent Perez and Claudia Ordaz, ould take away the possibility of parole for someone who was convicted of trafficking a child or a disabled person. 

"That one's huge. That bill, we are grateful because a lot of times they do get maybe two years of jail time and then a bunch of probation, or they don't have to serve all of the time in jail, which ultimately then puts fear back with the victim because they're they're traffickers back out on the street," Schiff told ABC-7.

Senate Bill 1212 was the second bill signed into law and makes human trafficking a first degree felony. 

"A lot of times we were seeing like they were getting misdemeanor charges or, you know, some weren't even getting jail time. They were getting like, just probation. And so, for all of them to become felonies makes it, you know, ups the ante, basically," said Schiff.