Bill Text: TX HB3690 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Comm Sub

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to the Texas Crime Stoppers Council.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 2-1)

Status: (Passed) 2017-06-12 - Effective on 9/1/17 [HB3690 Detail]

Download: Texas-2017-HB3690-Comm_Sub.html
 
 
  By: Metcalf (Senate Sponsor - Birdwell) H.B. No. 3690
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 5, 2017;
  May 8, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal
  Justice; May 21, 2017, reported favorably by the following vote:  
  Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 21, 2017, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the Texas Crime Stoppers Council.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 414.004, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 414.004.  DIRECTOR. The [council and the] executive
  director of the criminal justice division of the governor's office,
  with input from the council, shall designate a person to serve as
  director. [The director must be approved by the governor.] The
  executive director [council] shall consult with the council to 
  define the director's authority and responsibilities.
         SECTION 2.  Section 414.012, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 414.012.  STATEWIDE CRIME REPORTING SYSTEMS [TOLL-FREE
  TELEPHONE SERVICE]. The council shall establish a statewide [and
  operate a toll-free] telephone service and other appropriate
  systems to allow information about criminal acts to be reported to
  the council and shall make the telephone service and other
  reporting systems accessible at all times to persons residing in
  areas of the state not served by a crime stoppers organization [for
  reporting to the council information about criminal acts]. [The
  toll-free service must be available between the hours of 5 p.m. and
  8 a.m. Monday through Thursday and from 5 p.m. Friday until 8 a.m.
  Monday.] The council shall forward the information received to
  appropriate law enforcement agencies or crime stoppers
  organization.
         SECTION 3.  Article 102.013(a), Code of Criminal Procedure,
  is amended to read as follows:
         (a)  The legislature shall appropriate funds from the crime
  stoppers assistance account to the Criminal Justice Division of the
  Governor's Office. The Criminal Justice Division may use 10
  percent of the funds for the operation of the statewide [toll-free]
  telephone service or other appropriate systems for the reporting of
  crime under Section 414.012, Government Code, and shall distribute
  the remainder of the funds only to crime stoppers organizations.
  The Criminal Justice Division may adopt a budget and rules to
  implement the distribution of these funds.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
 
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