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Governor Abbott signs bills combating human trafficking, eliminating rape kit backlog

The bill signing ceremony took place Tuesday afternoon at the New Friends New Life Youth Resource Center in Dallas.

AUSTIN, Texas — The above video originally aired in March 2019.

At a bill signing in Dallas, Governor Greg Abbott signed legislation related to cracking down on human trafficking and eliminating the rape kit backlog.

The bills are Senate Bill 20, House Bill 8, House Bill 1590, House Bill 2163 and Senate Bill 71.

Senate Bill 20 enhances tools to fight online sex trafficking, increases the penalties for buyers and creates a process for victims to clear their records of certain offenses committed solely as a victim of trafficking.

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House Bill 8 tackles the rape kit backlog by requiring an audit of untested kits, establishing timelines for results to be submitted and extending the statute of limitations.

House Bill 1590 creates a Sexual Assault Survivors' Task Force within the Office of the Governor to catalog services, identify gaps and coordinate efforts across Texas to strategically address sexual assault.

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House Bill 2613 directs forfeited proceeds from stash houses to services that aid victims of human trafficking.

And Senate Bill 71 establishes a statewide telehealth center to expand victim access to specially trained Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners.

The bill signing ceremony took place Tuesday afternoon at the New Friends New Life Youth Resource Center in Dallas.

WATCH: Bill signing ceremony in Dallas

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