By Ogden                                         S.B. No. 475

      75R4110 GWK-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the creation of a complex crime unit within the

 1-3     Department of Public Safety.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Chapter 411, Government Code, is amended by

 1-6     adding Subchapter I to read as follows:

 1-7                      SUBCHAPTER I.  COMPLEX CRIME UNIT

 1-8           Sec. 411.251.  DEFINITIONS.  In this subchapter:

 1-9                 (1)  "Attorney representing the state" means a district

1-10     attorney, criminal district attorney, or county attorney performing

1-11     the duties of a district attorney.

1-12                 (2)  "Complex crime" means a criminal offense:

1-13                       (A)  in which funds or property of any department

1-14     or agency of the state are stolen or misapplied; and

1-15                       (B)  the investigation of which requires a level

1-16     of expertise in disciplines such as accounting, computer

1-17     technology, or law that is not readily available to local law

1-18     enforcement agencies.

1-19           Sec. 411.252.  COMPLEX CRIME UNIT.  (a)  The complex crime

1-20     unit is an investigatory unit within the criminal law enforcement

1-21     division of the department.

1-22           (b)  The director shall employ commissioned peace officers

1-23     and non-commissioned employees to perform duties required of the

1-24     unit.

 2-1           (c)  To be eligible for employment under this subsection, a

 2-2     peace officer must have:

 2-3                 (1)  not less than four years of experience as a peace

 2-4     officer; and

 2-5                 (2)  a degree from an accredited institution of higher

 2-6     education in:

 2-7                       (A)  law or accounting; or

 2-8                       (B)  computer science, except that two or more

 2-9     years of experience in the investigation of criminal offenses under

2-10     Chapter 33, Penal Code, or similar law may be substituted for the

2-11     degree requirement under this subdivision.

2-12           (d)  To be eligible for employment under this section, a

2-13     non-commissioned employee must meet the experience, training, and

2-14     educational qualifications set by the director as requirements for

2-15     investigating or assisting in the investigation of a crime.

2-16           Sec. 411.253.  ASSISTANCE ON REQUEST.  (a)  On the request of

2-17     an attorney representing the state and with the approval of the

2-18     director, the complex crime unit of the department may assist local

2-19     law enforcement in the investigation of crime.

2-20           (b)  On the request of the governor and with the approval of

2-21     the director, the complex crime unit of the department may

2-22     investigate a crime involving harm to the interests of a state

2-23     agency.

2-24           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

2-25           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-26     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-27     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 3-1     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 3-2     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.