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Senate Bill 912 |
Senate Author: Shapiro |
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Effective: 9-1-05 |
House Sponsor: Allen, Ray et al. |
Senate Bill 912 amends the Health and Safety Code to expand the criminal offenses that could qualify a person for civil commitment as a sexually violent offender to include murder and capital murder if, during certain proceedings, it is deemed beyond a reasonable doubt that the crimes were sexually motivated. The bill limits the locations where a civilly committed sexual predator may be required to reside to a Texas residential facility under contract with the Council on Sex Offender Treatment or at another location or facility approved by the council and eliminates the judicial option to transfer jurisdiction in such a civil commitment case to the district court where the offender lives.
Senate Bill 912 requires the council to enter a memorandum of understanding with the Texas Department of Public Safety for assistance in the preparation of criminal complaints, warrants, and related documents and in the apprehension and arrest of a person. The bill also requires the council to provide through the case management system any supervision or tracking service required for a civilly committed sexual predator residing in Dallas, Harris, or Tarrant County. The bill eliminates the strict prohibition against housing a civilly committed sexual predator in a mental health facility, state school, or community center and allows such housing only if the placement is the result of governmental action. The bill also sets out provisions relating to compensation of experts used in certain civil commitment proceedings.
Senate Bill 912 provides that certain duties imposed by the civil commitment of sexual predator law are suspended for the duration of any subsequent confinement of a sexual predator or any subsequent commitment of such a person to a community center, mental health facility, or state school by governmental action and eliminates exceptions to the suspension of duties.
Senate Bill 912 requires the council to study the ways in which certain sexually violent offenders use the Internet to meet or establish contact with potential victims and sets out parameters of the resultant report.