Enrolled Bill Summary

Senate Bill 1576	Senate Author:  Perry
Effective:  9-1-17	House Sponsor:  King, Ken

            Senate Bill 1576 amends the Civil Practice and Remedies Code, Code of Criminal Procedure, Government Code, Health and Safety Code, Penal Code, Tax Code, and Transportation Code to revise provisions relating to the civil commitment of sexually violent predators and the operation of the Texas Civil Commitment Office. The bill makes certain personal identifying information of an officer or employee of the office privileged from discovery by an individual who is civilly committed as a sexually violent predator and prohibits a magistrate from releasing on personal bond a defendant who at the time of the commission of the charged offense is civilly committed as a sexually violent predator. The bill revises the requirements of such a committed person who is subject to sex offender registration with regard to the frequency of reporting to the person's primary registration authority. 

            Senate Bill 1576 makes certain provisions relating to the disclosure of and access to criminal history record information that is the subject of an order of nondisclosure applicable to the Texas Civil Commitment Office and provides for the confidentiality of certain personal and financial information of current or former employees of the office. The bill provides for the transfer and the return of an individual who is civilly committed as a sexually violent predator, the release of such a person from housing operated by or under contract with the office, and the conditions under which an employee of the office may use mechanical or chemical restraints on such a committed person. The bill sets out requirements relating to the appearance of such a civilly committed person at certain hearings and relating to state-issued identification for such a person upon release. The bill provides penalty enhancements for the offenses of assault and harassment by persons in certain facilities and expands the conduct that constitutes the offense of unlawful carrying of a handgun by a handgun license holder to include intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly carrying a handgun on the premises of a civil commitment facility.