AUSTIN, Texas — A new senate bill aimed at strengthening border security is looking to increase penalties for smugglers and those operating stash houses. On Tuesday the Senate Committee on Border Security voted to unanimously advance Senate Bill 4 to the full Senate.

Committee members say the bill is intended to crack down on those profiting and endangering innocent lives. Members called these individuals “bad actors” and said they were taking advantage of a disaster.

Texas Senator Pete Flores, R- Pleasanton says cartels and others have been increasingly preying on illegal migrants. There have been reports of migrants trying to cross the border being packed into tractor-trailers and exploited for monetary gain.

“This suggests that the current punishment for offenses such as smuggling persons, operating a stash house, and evading arrest do not provide sufficient deterrent,” said Sen. Flores.

SB 4 looks to change that by escalating the smuggling charge to at least a third-degree felony, carrying with it a 10-year prison term. Those who cooperate with law enforcement could have their sentence cut by five years.

“Operating a stash house will carry a five-year minimum term if used for smuggling trafficking or prostitution, it escalates to a third-degree or second-degree felony and the minimum sentence would rise to 10 years if it’s operated in a disaster area,” Flores said. “Furthermore, if the bail escalates other offenses committed while smuggling such as assault, burglary, evading arrest to a third-degree felony and provides consecutive stackable sentencing.”

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Under Senate Bill 4, family members caught smuggling can reduce their sentence with the proper documentation proving the relationship. This created some concerns for Committee Chairman Brian Birdwell.

“I’ll just state fanatically what I’m concerned with. I don’t want the church bus driver to find themselves in a smuggling circumstance because of his own good faith if he’s picking up people to take to church on a Sunday,” said Birdwell. “But I’m also concerned that if were making the statement, we are as a policy for our border security concerns, we're not saying that as long as it’s a family member it's okay to break the law. That If you're not a family member then we would punish you.”

Flores says that won’t be the case.

“Again, the intent of this legislation is to go after the bad actors and not the family members or those rendering aid. So, if someone is rendering aid, you’re on a ranch and you’re rendering aid to someone who needs water, this bill does not apply there,” he said,

If passed by two-thirds of each chamber SB 4 would go into effect December 1st instead of the 91st day after the special session. The bill is expected to go in front of the full senate Thursday.

“Whether you are a Democrat or a Republican, I think it’s a matter of preserving the dignity of people being smuggled and used as an enterprise and that in Texas we say no. We’re not going to do that, and if you do you will pay dire consequences for it,” said Flores.