HB 2854 would require Texas courts to apply standard rules of statutory interpretation to determine the meaning of statutes and regulations, rather than deferring to the preferred interpretations of administrative agencies arguing before them.
Criminal Justice
Prosecute Traffickers, Not Victims
The central paradox of human trafficking is that victims, not traffickers, are most likely to face criminal charges. In fact, an individual is more likely to be struck by lightning than prosecuted for trafficking. Which begs the question, why? How Traffickers Turn Victims into Defendants To start, prosecutors and law enforcement act on the best available information...
September 1, 2026