Bill Text: TX HB3575 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to the investigation and prosecution of offenses against public administration, including ethics offenses, offenses involving insurance fraud, and offenses involving motor fuels tax.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 77-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-05-01 - Left pending in committee [HB3575 Detail]

Download: Texas-2013-HB3575-Introduced.html
 
 
  By: Fallon H.B. No. 3575
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the investigation and prosecution of offenses against
  public administration, including ethics offenses, offenses
  involving insurance fraud, and offenses involving motor fuels tax.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 402, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subchapter D to read as follows:
  SUBCHAPTER D. PUBLIC INTEGRITY UNIT
         Sec. 402.101.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
               (1)  "Offense" means a prohibited act for which state
  law imposes a criminal or civil penalty.
               (2)  "Prosecute" means represent the state to impose a
  criminal or civil penalty.
               (3)  "Prosecuting attorney" means a district attorney,
  criminal district attorney, or county attorney.
         Sec. 402.102.  OFFENSES AGAINST PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION. For
  purposes of this subchapter, the following are offenses against
  public administration:
               (1)  an offense under Title 8, Penal Code, committed by
  a state officer or a state employee in connection with the powers
  and duties of the state office or state employment;
               (2)  an offense under Chapter 301, 302, 305, 571, 572,
  or 2004;
               (3)  an offense under Chapter 573 committed by a state
  officer in connection with the powers and duties of the state
  office; and
               (4)  an offense under Title 15, Election Code,
  committed in connection with:
                     (A)  a campaign for or the holding of state
  office; or
                     (B)  an election on a proposed constitutional
  amendment.
         Sec. 402.103.  OFFENSES INVOLVING INSURANCE FRAUD. For
  purposes of this subchapter, the following are offenses involving
  insurance fraud:
               (1)  an offense under Chapter 35, Penal Code, including
  an offense under that chapter that involves workers' compensation
  insurance under Title 5, Labor Code; or
               (2)  a fraudulent insurance act as defined by Section
  701.001, Insurance Code, including an act that involves workers'
  compensation insurance under Title 5, Labor Code.
         Sec. 402.104.  OFFENSES INVOLVING MOTOR FUELS TAX. For
  purposes of this subchapter, an offense involving motor fuels tax
  means a felony offense under Section 162.403, Tax Code.
         Sec. 402.105.  PUBLIC INTEGRITY UNIT. The public integrity
  unit is in the office of the attorney general.
         Sec. 402.106.  INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION BY PUBLIC
  INTEGRITY UNIT. (a) The public integrity unit has the authority to
  investigate whether a person has committed:
               (1)  an offense against public administration;
               (2)  an offense involving insurance fraud; or
               (3)  an offense involving motor fuels tax.
         (b)  The public integrity unit shall, on request of the
  appropriate prosecuting attorney, assist in the prosecution of or
  prosecute an offense under this section.
         (c)  If assisting in a prosecution as provided by Subsection
  (b), the public integrity unit may exercise the powers as necessary
  to accomplish the assistance, and the prosecuting attorney retains
  the authority to represent the state in the district and inferior
  courts in the prosecution of the offense.
         (d)  If prosecuting an offense as provided by Subsection (b):
               (1)  the public integrity unit has all the powers of the
  prosecuting attorney, including the power to represent the state
  before a grand jury;
               (2)  the prosecuting attorney may not prosecute the
  same person for the same act; and
               (3)  only the attorney general may represent the state
  in the district and inferior courts in the prosecution of the
  offense.
         Sec. 402.107.  COOPERATION OF STATE AGENCIES AND LOCAL LAW
  ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. (a) To the extent allowed by law, a state
  agency or local law enforcement agency shall cooperate with the
  public integrity unit by providing information requested by the
  unit as necessary to carry out the purposes of this subchapter.
         (b)  Information disclosed under this section is
  confidential and not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552.
         Sec. 402.108.  VENUE. Notwithstanding Chapter 13, Code of
  Criminal Procedure, or other law, if the defendant is a natural
  person, venue for prosecution of an offense against public
  administration, an offense involving insurance fraud, or an
  offense involving motor fuels tax is in the county in which the
  defendant resides.
         SECTION 2.  Sections 301.027(b) and (c), Government Code,
  are amended to read as follows:
         (b)  If the president of the senate or speaker receives a
  report or statement of facts as provided by Subsection (a), the
  president of the senate or speaker shall certify the statement of
  facts to the public integrity unit of the office of the attorney
  general [Travis County district attorney] under the seal of the
  senate or house of representatives, as appropriate. The public
  integrity unit shall conduct an investigation on receipt of the
  statement of facts under this subsection.
         (c)  If after conducting an investigation under Subsection
  (b), the public integrity unit accepts the statement of facts, the
  unit shall provide the results of the investigation to the [The
  Travis County] district attorney or other prosecuting attorney of
  the county in which the person resides, who shall bring the matter
  before the grand jury for action. If the grand jury returns an
  indictment, the prosecuting [district] attorney shall prosecute
  the indictment or request that the attorney general prosecute the
  indictment.
         SECTION 3.  Section 402.009, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 402.009.  AUTHORITY TO EMPLOY AND COMMISSION PEACE
  OFFICERS. The attorney general may employ and commission peace
  officers as investigators for:
               (1)  the limited purpose of assisting the attorney
  general in carrying out the duties of that office relating to
  prosecution assistance and crime prevention; or
               (2)  the purpose of investigating offenses against
  public administration, offenses involving insurance fraud, and
  offenses involving motor fuels tax prosecuted under Subchapter D.
         SECTION 4.  (a)  Not later than March 1, 2014, the attorney
  general shall establish the public integrity unit under Subchapter
  D, Chapter 402, Government Code, as added by this Act.
         (b)  Subchapter D, Chapter 402, Government Code, as added by
  this Act, applies only to the prosecution of an offense against
  public administration or an offense involving insurance fraud or
  motor fuels tax committed on or after April 1, 2014. For purposes of
  this section, an offense is committed before April 1, 2014, if any
  element of the offense occurs before that date.
         (c)  The prosecution of an offense committed before April 1,
  2014, is covered by the law in effect when the offense was
  committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that
  purpose, except that a county attorney, district attorney, or
  criminal district attorney may, on the request of the attorney
  general, permit the public integrity unit established under
  Subchapter D, Chapter 402, Government Code, as added by this Act, to
  assume the prosecution of such an offense.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2014.
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