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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the database used to provide criminal justice agencies |
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with real time information about releasees from the Texas |
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Department of Criminal Justice, the notification to local law |
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enforcement of the release of certain inmates, and notice of a |
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warrant issued by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice |
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regarding a person released on parole. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 508; Subchapter H, Chapter |
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508; and Sections 508.115(a) and (d) Government Code, are amended |
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to read as follows: |
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Sec. 508.120. RELEASEE DATABASE. (a) In this section, |
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"criminal justice agency" has the meaning assigned by Article |
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60.01, Code of Criminal Procedure. |
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(b) The division shall establish and maintain a database for |
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the purpose of providing real time information about releasees to |
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criminal justice agencies. |
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(c) The database: |
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(1) must contain the following information about a |
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releasee, to the extent that the information is available: |
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(A) a photograph; |
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(B) a physical description; |
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(C) gang affiliation; |
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(D) residential history; |
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(E) family history; |
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(F) employment history; |
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(G) a list of persons who visited the releasee |
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during the releasee's confinement by the department; |
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(H) the make, model, and license plate number of |
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any vehicle operated by the releasee; and |
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(I) any other information that the division |
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considers appropriate; and |
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(2) must be updated as soon as practicable after a |
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parole officer learns of a change in any information described by |
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Subdivision (1). |
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(d) In establishing a database under this section, the |
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division may utilize an existing database that is maintained by the |
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department, including the corrections tracking system established |
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under Article 60.02, Code of Criminal Procedure. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 508.115(a) and (d), Government Code, |
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are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Not later than the 11th day before the date a parole |
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panel orders the release on parole of an inmate or not later than |
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the 11th day after the date the board recommends that the governor |
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grant executive clemency, the division shall give notice in |
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accordance with Subsection (d) to [notify] the sheriffs, each chief |
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of police, the prosecuting attorneys, and the district judges in |
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the county in which the inmate was convicted and the county to which |
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the inmate is released that a parole panel is considering release on |
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parole or the governor is considering clemency. |
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(d) The notice must include [state]: |
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(1) the inmate's name, age, sex, and race; |
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(2) a photograph of the inmate; |
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(3) if applicable: |
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(A) the address at which the inmate will reside; |
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(B) the name of the inmate's parole supervisor or |
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the director of the halfway house to which the inmate is |
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transferred, as appropriate; and |
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(C) the rules or conditions of the inmate's |
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release; |
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(4) [(2)] the county in which the inmate was |
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convicted; and |
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(5) [(3)] the offense for which the inmate was |
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convicted. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act to Section |
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508.115, Government Code, applies only to the consideration by a |
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parole panel of the release of an inmate or the transfer of an |
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inmate to a halfway house that occurs on or after September 1, 2015, |
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or to a recommendation that the governor grant executive clemency |
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that is made on or after that date. |
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SECTION 4. Subchapter H, Chapter 508, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 508.2511 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 508.2511. NOTICE OF WARRANT ISSUANCE. The department |
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shall provide notice of a warrant issued under this subchapter to |
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each law enforcement agency whose jurisdiction includes the |
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residence of the releasee, according to the department's records. |
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SECTION 5. Section 508.2511, Government Code, as added by |
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this Act, applies only to a warrant issued under Subchapter H, |
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Chapter 508, Government Code, on or after the effective date of this |
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Act. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |