By Moreno                                             H.B. No. 1519

         75R6293 GWK-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to requiring certain local law enforcement agencies to

 1-3     account for seized or confiscated money.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Chapter 18, Code of Criminal Procedure, is

 1-6     amended by adding Article 18.184 to read as follows:

 1-7           Art. 18.184.  ACCOUNTING FOR SEIZED OR CONFISCATED MONEY.

 1-8     Not later than the fifth day of each month:

 1-9                 (1)  the sheriff shall provide the commissioners court

1-10     with a report stating the amount of money seized or confiscated

1-11     during the preceding month under the authority of any law by  the

1-12     sheriff or any peace officer employed by the sheriff's department;

1-13     and

1-14                 (2)  the head of each municipal law enforcement agency

1-15     shall provide the governing body of the municipality with a report

1-16     stating the amount of money seized or confiscated during the

1-17     preceding month under the authority of any law by the head of the

1-18     agency or any peace officer employed by the agency.

1-19           SECTION 2.  Each sheriff or head of a municipal law

1-20     enforcement agency shall provide the first report required by

1-21     Article 18.184, Code of Criminal Procedure, as added by this Act,

1-22     not later than October 5, 1997.

1-23           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-24           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-1     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-2     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-3     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-4     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.