BILL ANALYSIS S.B. 46 By: Shapiro Criminal Justice 02-15-95 Committee Report (Amended) BACKGROUND Currently, the institutional division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice is not required to notify a victim of an offense if the inmate who committed the offense escapes. PURPOSE As proposed, S.B. 46 requires the institutional division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to notify a victim, guardian, or close relative of an inmates escape if the victim, guardian or close relative is registered to receive such information. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 56, Code of Criminal Procedure, by amending Article 56.12, as follows: Art. 56.12. NOTIFICATION OF ESCAPE. (a) Requires the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to make a reasonable attempt to notify the victim of an offense, the victim's guardian, or a deceased victim's close relative, whenever the offender escapes from a facility operated by the institutional division, upon request by the victim, victim's guardian, or victim's close relative. Provides that an attempt to notify the victim, victim's guardian, or victim's close relative, at the last known telephone number or address, constitutes a reasonable attempt to give notice. (b) Provides that the responsibility of registering for the information in Subsection (a) lies with the victim, guardian, or close relative. SECTION 2. Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage.