SRC-ARR C.S.H.B. 2145 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.H.B. 2145
By: McClendon (Whitmire)
Criminal Justice
5/14/1999
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST 

Currently, information about the 15,000 registered sex offenders in Texas
is available through the police and sheriff's department as well as on the
Internet. This database is made possible through the mandatory sex offender
registration law. The information available electronically includes the
name, age, zip code, and shoe size of the sex offender and is updated at
least twice a week. What is not currently available is the sex offender's
photo, specific street address, telephone number, social security number,
and driver's license number. C.S.H.B. 2145 would set forth requirements for
persons subject to sex offender registration requirements and to the
conditions for supervised release of those persons.  

PURPOSE

As proposed, C.S.H.B. 2145 sets forth requirements for person subject to
sex offender registration requirements and the conditions for supervised
release of those persons.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Article 42.01, Code of Criminal Procedure, by adding
Section 7, as follows: 
 
Sec. 7. Provides that in addition to the information described by Section
1, the judgment should reflect affirmative findings entered pursuant to
Article 42.015. 

SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 42, Code of Criminal Procedure, by adding
Articles 42.015 and 42.016, as follows: 

Art.42.015. FINDING OF AGE OF VICTIM. Requires a judge to make an  finding
of fact and enter the affirmation finding in the judgement in the case if
the judge determines that the victim or intended victim was younger than 17
years of age at the time of the offense. 

Art.42.016. SPECIAL DRIVER'S LICENSE OR IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR
CERTAIN SEX OFFENDERS. Sets forth special drivers's license or
identification requirements for certain sex offenders. 

SECTION 3. Amends Section 5, Article 42.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, by
adding Subsection (e), to require the judge to make an affirmative finding
on fact and file a statement of that affirmative finding with the papers in
the case if the judge determines that the victim or intended victim was
younger than 17 years of age at the time of the offense.  

SECTION 4. Amends Section 5, Article 42.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, to
authorize a judge to dismiss the proceedings and discharge a defendant
other than a defendant charged with an offense requiring the defendant to
register as a sex offender under Chapter 62, rather than described by
Section 13B(b).  Prohibits the judge from dismissing the proceeding and
discharging the defendant charged with an offense requiring the defendant
to register under Chapter 62.  Deletes text authorizing a judge to dismiss
the proceedings and discharge a defendant charged with a felony  described
by Section 13B(b) only if in the judge's opinion the best interest of
society and the defendant will be served and the defendant has successfully
completed at least two-thirds of the period of community supervision. 

(b) Amends Section 20(b), Article 42.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, to
establish that this section does not apply to a defendant convicted of an
offense for which on conviction registration as a sex offender is required
under Chapter 62. 

SECTION 5. Amends Article 62.01(3), Code of Criminal Procedure, to redefine
"penal institution." 

SECTION 6. Amends Article 62.01, Code of Criminal Procedure, by amending
Subdivision (5) and (6) and adding Subdivision (7) to redefine "reportable
conviction or adjudication" and define "residence." 

SECTION 7. Amends Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure, by adding Article
62.011, as follows: 

Art. 62.011. WORKERS OR STUDENTS. Sets forth requirements regarding workers
or students.   

SECTION 8. Amends Article 62.02, Code of Criminal Procedures, by amending
Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (g), to require a person who is
required to register as a condition of parole, release to mandatory
supervision, or community supervision to register with a local law
enforcement agency. Requires a certain person to register with the law
enforcement authority that is identified by the department as the authority
designated by that state to receive registration information.  

SECTION 9. Amends Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedures, by adding
Article 62.021, as follows:  

Art. 62.021. OUT-OF-STATE REGISTRANTS. Sets forth requirements for
out-of-state registrants.  

SECTION 10.  Amends Articles 62.03, Code of  Criminal Procedure, by
amending Subsections (a), (b), (c), (d) (e), and (f), and adding Subsection
(h) to require the risk assessment review committee (committee) established
under Article 62.035, before a person subject to registration is due to be
released,  to determine the person's level of risk to a community using the
sex offender screening tool developed or selected, assign the person to a
numeric risk level, and immediately send a written notice to the
institution from which the person is being released.  Sets forth
requirements for the institution upon receiving notice regarding a person's
sex offender status.  Makes conforming and nonsubstantive changes.   

SECTION 11.  Amends Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure, by adding
Article 62.035, as follows: 

Art. 62.035.  RISK ASSESSMENT REVIEW COMMITTEE; SEX OFFENDER SCREENING
TOOL. Requires the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) to establish
a risk assessment review committee to be composed of at least five members
each of whom are employed by the state.  Sets forth certain individuals
authorized to compose the committee.  Requires the committee to develop a
screening tool, or select from existing tools, to be used in determining
the risk level of a person subject to registration under this chapter.
Requires the screening tool to use an objective point system under which to
assign points to various factors regarding the offender, the victim, and
other relevant information.  Sets forth general guidelines the committee
shall use or adopt in developing the sex offender screening tool consisting
of three levels.   

SECTION 12.  Amends Articles 62.04, by amending Subdivision (a), (d), (f)
and (g), Code of Criminal Procedure, to make conforming and nonsubstantive
changes. 

SECTION 13.  Amends Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure, by adding
Article 62.045, as  follows: 

Art. 62.045.  ADDITIONAL PUBLIC NOTICE FOR CERTAIN OFFENDERS.  Provides
that on the receipt of notice that a person subject to registration is due
to be released from a penal institution, has been placed on community
supervision or juvenile probation, or intends to move to a new residence in
this state, TDCJ shall verify the person's assigned risk level. Requires
TDCJ, by a certain date, to provide a notice of release to notify by mail
or delivery everyone within a certain radius of the place where the person
intends to reside.  Requires TDCJ to include in the notice only public
information.  Requires TDCJ to develop procedures for the person about whom
the notice is written to pay all costs incurred due to distribution of the
notice, with exceptions.  Requires the person about whom the notice is
written to pay the costs in accordance with TDJC's procedures. 

SECTION 14. Amends Article 62.05, Code of Criminal Procedure, to require a
person to report to the local law enforcement authorities certain changes,
if a person required to register is not supervised by an officer listed in
Subsection (a). 

SECTION 15. Amends Articles 62.06(a) and (b), Code, of Criminal Procedure,
to require a person subject to registration under this chapter who has for
a sexually violent offense been convicted two or more times, received an
order of deferred adjudication two or more times, or been convicted and
received an order of deferred adjudication, rather than for a sexually
violent offenses, to report to certain authorities. Requires a person
subject to registration under this chapter who is not subject to the 90-day
reporting requirement described by this section to report to the local law
enforcement authority with whom the person is required to register once
each year not earlier than the 30th day before and not later than the 30th
day after the anniversary of the person's date of birth, rather than on
which the person first registered under this chapter, to verify the
information in the registration form maintained by the authority for that
person. Provides that  person complies with a requirement that the person
register within a 90-day period following a date if the person registers at
any time on or after the 83th day following that date but before the 98th
day after that date. Authorizes the authority to direct the person to
report under this subsection once in each 90-period following the date the
person first registered under this chapter, if the person is required to
report not less than once in each 90-day period under Subsection (a) or
once in each year not earlier than the 30th day before and not later than
the 30th day after the anniversary of the person's date of birth, it the
person is required to report once each year under Subsection (a).  

SECTION 16. Amends Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedures, by adding
Articles 62.061, 62.062, 62.063, and 62.065, as follows:  

Art. 62.061. REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN WORKERS OR STUDENTS. Sets forth
requirements for the registration of certain workers or students.  

Art. 62.062. REGISTRATION OF PERSONS REGULARLY VISITING LOCATION. Sets
forth requirements for a person regularly visiting a certain location.  

Art. 62.063. VERIFICATION OF INDIVIDUALS SUBJECT TO COMMITMENT. Set forth
certain requirements for the verification of individual subject to
commitment.  

Art. 62.065. REQUIREMENTS RELATING TO DRIVER'S LICENSE OR PERSONAL
IDENTIFICATION CERTIFICATE. Sets forth requirements relating to a driver's
license or personal identification certificate. 

SECTION 17. Amends Article 62.08(b), Code of Criminal Procedures, to delete
text regarding a person photograph and numeric street address.  

SECTION 18. Amends Chapter 62, Code or Criminal Procedure, by adding
Article 62.085, as follows: 

Art. 62.085. INFORMATION PROVIDED TO PEACE OFFICER. Set forth requirements
for information provided to a peace officer. 
 
SECTION 19. Amends Article 62.10, Code of Criminal Procedures, by amending
Subsections (b) and (c), to set forth certain offenses under this article.  

SECTION 20. Amends Article 62, Code of Criminal Procedure, by adding
Article 62.101, as follows:  

Art. 62.101. FAILURE TO COMPLY: INDIVIDUALS SUBJECT TO COMMITMENT. Provides
that a person commits an offense if the person fails to comply. Provides
that an offense under this section is second degree felony.   

SECTION 21. Amends Section 54.04, Family Code, by adding Subsection (q), to
require the judge to enter the finding in the order, if the judge orders a
disposition under this section and there is an affirmative finding that the
victim or intended victim was younger than 17 years of age at the time of
the conduct.  

SECTION  22. Amends Section 58.007(a), Family Code, to provide that this
section does not apply to a record or file relating to a child that is
subject to disclosure under Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure, added
by Chapter 668, Acts of the 75th Legislature, Regular Session, 1997.  

SECTION 23. Amends Section 411.135(a), Government Code, to provide that any
person is entitled to obtain from the Texas Department of Public Safety
(department) certain information.  

SECTION 24.  Amends Section 15.031, Penal Code, to create offenses for a
person who induces a minor to engage in certain conduct.  Makes conforming
changes. 

SECTION 25. Amends Section 21.11(b), Penal Code, to provide that it is an
affirmation defense to prosecution under this section that the actor had
certain characteristics.  

SECTION 26. Amends Section 22.011(e), Penal Code, to provide that certain
actions are an affirmative defense to prosecution under Subsection (a)(2).  

SECTION 27. Amends Chapter 521C, Transportation Code, by adding Section
521.057, as follows: 

Sec. 521.057. INFORMATION REGARDING CERTAIN SEX OFFENDERS. Sets forth
information regarding certain sex offenders.  

SECTION 28. Amends Section 521.101, Transportation Code, by adding
Subsections (h) and (i), to require the department to automatically revoke
each personal identification certificate issued by the department to a
person who takes certain action. 

SECTION 29. Amends Chapter 521E, Transportation Code, by adding Section
521.103, as follows: 

Sec. 521.103. EXPIRATION AND RENEWAL REQUIREMENTS FOR CERTAIN SEX
OFFENDERS. Sets forth expiration amd renewal requirements for certain sex
offenders.  

SECTION 30. Amends Chapter 521M, Transportation Code, by adding Section
521.272, as follows: 

Sec. 521.272. RENEWAL OF LICENSE ISSUED TO CERTAIN SEX OFFENDERS. Sets
forth the renewal of a license issued to certain sex offenders.   

SECTION 31. Amends Section 521.274(b), Transportation Code, to prohibit a
rule adopted under this subsection from permitting a renewal by mail of
certain items. 

SECTION 32. Amends Chapter 521O, Transportation Code, by adding Section
521. 348, as follows: 

Sec. 521.348. AUTOMATIC REVOCATION FOR CERTAIN SEX OFFENDERS. Sets forth
certain requirements regarding the automatic revocation of a drivers
licenses for certain sex offenders.   

SECTION 33. Repealer: Article 62.12(c), Code of Criminal Procedure. 

SECTION 34. Amends Section 11(a), Chapter 668, Acts of the 75th
Legislature, 1997, to provide that the change in law made by this Act to
Article 62.11, Code of Criminal Procedure, applies only to a certain
defendant on or after September 1, 1997 who is under the supervision and
control of the commission.  

SECTION 35. Provides that the change in law made by this Act under Chapter
62, Code of Criminal Procedure, applies to certain persons regardless of
when the offense was committed or the conduct occurred. Provides that an
individual for whom a deferred adjudication is entered or a trial
disposition hearing has commenced before the effective date of this Act is
covered by the law in effect when the deferred adjudication was entered or
when the trial or disposition hearing commenced, and former law is
continued in effect for that purpose. 

SECTION 36. Provides that the change in law made by this Act to Article
62.01(5) and 62.03(d), Code  of Criminal Procedure, applies to juvenile
offenders adjudicated as having engaged in delinquent conduct before, on or
after the effective date of this Act, regardless of when the conduct
occurred.  

SECTION 37. Provides that the change in law made by this Act to Articles
62.06(a) and (b), Code of Criminal Procedure, relating to persons required
to the report to local law enforcement not less than once in each 90-day
period, applies only to a defendant who takes certain action on or after
the effective date of this Act.  

SECTION 38. Requires certain law enforcement authorities to inform the
person that the next occasion and each succeeding occasion on which the
person verifies registration, the person must comply with Articles 62.06(a)
and (b), Code of Criminal Procedure, to accomplish the change in law made
by this Act to Articles 62.06 (a) and (b), Code of Criminal Procedure.
Provides that the change in law to which this section applies does not
affect the validity of any action taken by a person to verify registration
before the person is provided an opportunity to be informed of the change
in law made by this Act as required by this section.  

SECTION 39. Provides that the change in law made by this Act to Section
58.007, Family Code, applies only to records and files created or
maintained under Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure, on or after
September 1, 1995. 

SECTION 40. Provides that the change in law made by this Act in Articles
42.016, 62.065, and 62.085, Code of Criminal Procedure, and Sections
521.057, 521.101 (h), and (i), 521.103, 521.272, and 521.348, Government
Code, amending Section 521.274(b), Transportation Code, and that part of
SECTION 2 amending Section 62.03(a), Code of Criminal Procedure, take
effect September 1, 2000. Provides that Chapter 62, Code of Criminal
Procedure, applies only to certain persons who, with respect to an offense
listed in Article 62.01(5), Code of Criminal Procedure, on or after
September 1, 2000, is confined or under supervision. Provides that a person
who, on September 1, 2000, is not described by Subsection (b)(1) or (2) of
this section is covered by the law in effect before September 1, 2000, and
former law is continued in effect for that purpose.  

SECTION 41. Provides that the change in law made by this Act in adding
Articles 62.0451, 62.063, and 62.101, Code of Criminal Procedure, takes
effect on January 1, 2000, but only if an Act of the 76th Legislature,
Regular Session, 1999, establishes a certain process.  

SECTION 42.  Requires the Texas Department of Public Safety to establish
the risk assessment review committee not later than September 1, 1999.
Requires the review committee to develop the sex offender screening tool
not later than December 1, 1999, and to have the tool available for use in
cases not later than December 15, 1999.  Requires each person released from
a penal institution  to be assigned a numeric risk level. 

SECTION 43.  Requires TDCJ to establish the procedures required by Article
62.045, Code of Criminal Procedure, not later than January 1, 2000.  

SECTION 44. Requires the department to implement the system described by
Section 411.135, Government Code, as amended by this Act, not later than
January 1, 2000.  

SECTION 45. Provides that except as provided by Section 36 of this Act,
this Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 

SECTION 46. Emergency clause.