Gov. Greg Abbott will be in McAllen on Wednesday, Sept. 22, to sign an anti-smuggling bill into law.

Abbott will sign Senate Bill 576 at McAllen City Hall. The signing is set for 1:30 p.m. Abbott will be joined by  McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos, Representative JM Lozano, and other local officials according to a news release from the governor’s office. 

Senate Bill 576 enhances the criminal penalty for human smuggling when a payment is involved and eliminates the requirement of proof for prosecution that a smuggler intended to receive payment for the crime of human smuggling, according to a news release from the governor’s office.