Enrolled Bill Summary

House Bill 11	House Author:  Bonnen, Dennis et al.
Effective:  9-1-15	Senate Sponsor:  Birdwell et al.

            House Bill 11 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure, Government Code, Local Government Code, and Penal Code relating to, among other provisions, the powers and duties of the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), military and law enforcement training, and border security. To prevent the unlawful transfer of contraband from Texas to Mexico, DPS is required to assist the federal government and local law enforcement authorities working with the federal government at international border checkpoints and is authorized to share the cost of staffing border checkpoints with the federal government. The bill requires the office of the attorney general to establish a transnational and organized crime division.  The bill increases the penalties for a smuggling of persons offense and creates the offense of continuous smuggling of persons punishable as a second or first degree felony.

House Bill 11 requires the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office and the McAllen Police Department to jointly establish and operate the Texas Transnational Intelligence Center as a central repository of real-time intelligence data submitted by certain local law enforcement agencies, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, and the Parks and Wildlife Department. DPS is required to assist in the establishment and operation of the center.

House Bill 11 requires the Texas Facilities Commission to construct a multiuse training facility to be used by DPS, the Texas military forces, county and municipal law enforcement agencies, and any other military or law enforcement agency, including agencies of the federal government, for training purposes. The bill authorizes the Public Safety Commission to provide for the establishment of a reserve officer corps and authorizes DPS to accept certain honorably discharged military veterans into the DPS trooper trainee academy. The bill continues the Texas Anti-Gang Grant Program administered by the criminal justice division of the governor's office. 

House Bill 11 requires the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the house of representatives to create a joint interim committee to study border security, which is required to submit a report to the 85th Legislature before it convenes in regular session.