JWW S.B. 875 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS



PUBLIC SAFETY
S.B. 875
By Shapiro/West (Danburg/Allen/McClendon/Eiland)
5-6-97
Committee Report (Amended)


BACKGROUND

The 74th Legislature passed several laws regarding the registration and
adjudication of sex offenders. Since that time, new ideas as well as
enhancements became evident as the laws were practiced within the
community.  This bill will provide additional regulations regarding the
applicability of the sex offender registration program to certain
defendants, the procedures used to register and monitor sex offenders, and
the imposition of criminal penalties. 

PURPOSE

This bill will provide additional regulations regarding the applicability
of the sex offender registration program to certain defendants, the
procedures used to register and monitor sex offenders, and the imposition
of criminal penalties. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency or
institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Article 6252-13.1, V.T.C.S., to redesignate it as
Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure, and amends it, as follows: 

CHAPTER 62.  New heading: SEX OFFENDER REGISTRATION PROGRAM

Art.  62.01.  DEFINITIONS.  Redefines "released" and "reportable
conviction or adjudication."  Makes conforming and non-substantive
changes. 

Art.  62.02.  REGISTRATION.  Requires the registration form to require an
indication as to whether the person is discharged, paroled, or released on
juvenile probation, community supervision, or mandatory supervision.
Deletes existing text regarding actions to be taken by a court on the day
the court pronounces a sentence for a person who is subject to
registration under this article.  Requires a person who is required to
register or verify registration under this chapter to ensure that the
person's registration form is complete and accurate with respect to each
item of information required by the form in accordance with Subsection
(b).  Deletes a reference to release on community supervision, parole, or
mandatory supervision.  Requires certain persons to report to the juvenile
probation officer within a certain time.   Makes conforming and
non-substantive changes. 

Art.  62.03.  PRERELEASE NOTIFICATION.  Requires the local law enforcement
authority to immediately provide notice to the superintendent of the
public school district and to the administrator of any private school
located in the public school district when certain persons move into the
school district.  Makes conforming and non-substantive changes. 

Art.  62.04.  CHANGE OF ADDRESS.  Requires a person, if the person
required to register intends to change address, regardless of whether the
person intends to move to another state, to report, within a certain time
period, in person to certain authorities and individuals and  provide the
authority and individual with the person's anticipated move date and new
address.  Makes conforming and non-substantive changes. 

Art.  62.05.  STATUS REPORT BY SUPERVISING OFFICER.  Requires the
supervising officer, if one among certain officers supervising a person
subject to registration under this chapter receives information to the
effect that the person's status has changed in any manner that affects
proper supervision of the person, including certain information, to
promptly notify the appropriate local law enforcement authority or
authorities of that change.  Requires a person's supervising officer, if
the person required to register intends to change address, to notify the
local law enforcement authorities designated by Article 62.04(b). 


Art.  62.06.  LAW ENFORCEMENT VERIFICATION OF REGISTRATION INFORMATION.
Sets forth procedures regarding verification by a local law enforcement
authority of the information in the registration form maintained by the
authority for that person. 

Art.  62.07.  REMEDIES RELATED TO PUBLIC NOTICE.  Makes conforming changes.

Art.  62.08.  CENTRAL DATABASE; PUBLIC INFORMATION.  Provides that the
information contained in the database is public information, with the
exception of any information that is required by the Department of Public
Safety (DPS) under Article 62.02(b)(5).  Makes conforming changes. 

Art.  62.09.  IMMUNITY FOR RELEASE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION.  Authorizes a
private school or administrator of a private school to release to the
public information regarding a person required to register if the
information is public information under this chapter and is released to
the administrator under Article 62.03 or 62.04.  Provides that a private
school or administrator of a private school is not liable under any law
for damages arising from conduct authorized by this subsection.  Makes
conforming changes. 

Art.  62.10. New heading: FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH REGISTRATION
REQUIREMENTS.  Provides that a person commits a state jail felony if the
person is required to register and fails to comply with any requirement of
this chapter. 

Art.  62.11.  New heading: APPLICABILITY.  Provides that the provisions of
Articles 62.03 and 62.04 of this chapter apply to reportable conviction or
adjudication occurring on or after September 1, 1997. 

Art.  62.12.  EXPIRATION OF DUTY TO REGISTER.  Makes conforming changes.

SECTION 2. Amends Section 1, Article 42.01, Code of Criminal Procedure, to
make conforming changes. 

SECTION 3. Amends Section 11(e), Article 42.12, Code of Criminal
Procedure, to make a conforming change. 

SECTION 4. Amends Section 19(g), Article 42.12, Code of Criminal
Procedure, to make conforming changes. 

SECTION 5. Amends Section 8(g), Article 42.18, Code of Criminal Procedure,
to make a conforming change. 

SECTION 6. Amends Section 8(r), Article 42.18, Code of Criminal Procedure,
to make conforming changes. 

SECTION 7. Amends Section 18(b), Article 42.18, Code of Criminal
Procedure, to make a conforming change. 

SECTION 8. Amends Article 60.051(f), Code of Criminal Procedure, to
require DPS to maintain  in the computerized criminal history system any
information DPS maintains in the central database under Article 62.08,
rather than information concerning whether an offender is required to
register under Article 6256-13.1, V.T.C.S. 

SECTION 9. Amends Section 1(4), Article 4512g-1, V.T.C.S., to make a
conforming change. 

SECTION 10. Effective Date: September 1, 1997.  Makes application of
Article 62.10, Code of Criminal Procedure, as redesignated and amended by
this Act, prospective. 

SECTION 11. Makes application of Article 62.11, Code of Criminal
Procedure, as redesignated and amended by this Act, prospective. 

SECTION 12. Requires DPS to take action necessary to ensure that the
requirements of Article 60.051, Code of Criminal Procedure, as amended by
this Act, and Article 62.02(b), Code of Criminal Procedure, as
redesignated and amended by this Act, are satisfied not later than January
1, 1998. 

SECTION 13. Emergency Clause.


EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS

Amendment #1 adds the following to SB 875:

(1)  In SECTION 1 of the bill, proposed Article 62.03(e), Code of Criminal
Procedure, is amended to add language at the end of the section stating
that upon receipt of notice under this subsection, the superintendent or
administrator is required to release the information to the appropriate
school district personnel. 

(2)  Strikes proposed Subsection (f), Article 63.03, Code of Criminal
Procedure, in SECTION 1. Replaces Subsection (f) with a new Subsection
(f), which states that local law enforcement is required to include in the
notice by publication in a newspaper certain information.  This
information includes the person's full name, age and gender; a brief
description of the offense subjecting the person to registration; the
municipality, accurate address information, and zip code where the person
plans to reside; and a recent photograph of the person. 

(3)  In SECTION 1 of the bill, proposed Article 62.04(f), Code of Criminal
Procedure, is amended to add language at the end of the section stating
that upon receipt of notice under this subsection, the superintendent or
administrator is required to release the information to the appropriate
school district personnel. 

(4)  Strikes proposed Subsection (g), Article 63.04, Code of Criminal
Procedure, in SECTION 1. Replaces Subsection (g) with a new Subsection
(g), which states that local law enforcement is required to include in the
notice by publication in a newspaper certain information.  This
information includes the person's full name, age and gender; a brief
description of the offense subjecting the person to registration; the
municipality, accurate address information, and zip code where the person
plans to reside; and a recent photograph of the person.