SRC-DPW S.B. 1281 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1281
76R8018 GWK-DBy: Wentworth
Criminal Justice
4/19/1999
As Filed


DIGEST 

Currently, Texas law requires the name, age, and address of paroled sexual
offenders to be published in the local paper of the area where the parolee
resides upon release.  No identification is offered other than age and
gender.  This bill would require a photograph, that will offer positive
identification of a paroled sex offender, to be published in addition to
information currently required. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 1281 requires a local law enforcement authority to
publish photographs of certain sex offenders in a newspaper. 

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 Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure, as added by
Chapter 668, Acts of the 75th Legislature, Regular Session, 1997, by adding
Article 62.041, as follows: 

Art. 62.041. SPECIAL PUBLICATION RULES RELATING TO PAROLEES AND PERSONS
RELEASED ON MANDATORY SUPERVISION. Requires a local law enforcement
authority to publish a notice in a manner prescribed by Article 62.03(e) or
62.04(f) including information required by Articles 62.03(f) and 62.04(g),
if it is determined that a person subject to registration is a parolee or
person released to mandatory supervision, and to include the person's
photograph in the notice.  Provides that this section applies to a person
subject to registration who is a parolee or person released to mandatory
supervision and has not served a sentence for an offense under Section
25.02, Penal Code.  Requires the local law enforcement authority to publish
notice as required by Subsection (a) regardless of the age of the victim of
the person's offense. 

SECTION 2. Amends Article 62.08, Code of Criminal Procedure, by adding
Subsection (f), to provide that a photograph of a parolee or person
released to mandatory supervision who is described by Article 62.041 is
public information. 

SECTION 3.Effective date: September 1, 1999.
  Makes application of this Act prospective.