By Wise H.B. No. 667
76R2336 PEP-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the powers and duties of the missing children and
1-3 missing persons information clearinghouse.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Article 62.003(b), Code of Criminal Procedure, as
1-6 added by Chapter 1427, Acts of the 75th Legislature, Regular
1-7 Session, 1997, is amended to read as follows:
1-8 (b) The clearinghouse shall, if money is appropriated for
1-9 that purpose:
1-10 (1) establish a system of intrastate communication of
1-11 information relating to missing children, [and] missing persons,
1-12 and unidentified dead bodies;
1-13 (2) provide a centralized file for the exchange of
1-14 information on missing children, missing persons, and unidentified
1-15 dead bodies within the state;
1-16 (3) communicate with the national crime information
1-17 center for the exchange of information on missing children and
1-18 missing persons suspected of interstate travel;
1-19 (4) collect, process, maintain, and disseminate
1-20 accurate and complete information on missing children and missing
1-21 persons, including methods of locating and recovering missing
1-22 children and missing persons;
1-23 (5) provide a statewide toll-free telephone line for
1-24 the reporting of missing children and missing persons, [and] for
2-1 receiving information on missing children and missing persons, and
2-2 for reporting sightings of missing children and missing persons;
2-3 [and]
2-4 (6) provide and disseminate to legal custodians, law
2-5 enforcement agencies, and the Texas Education Agency information
2-6 that explains how to prevent child abduction and what to do if a
2-7 child becomes missing;
2-8 (7) coordinate with and provide assistance to
2-9 national, state, and local public and private nonprofit agencies in
2-10 locating and recovering missing children and missing persons and in
2-11 identifying unidentified persons and unidentified dead bodies;
2-12 (8) develop a uniform reporting and investigating
2-13 protocol relating to missing children and missing persons for law
2-14 enforcement agencies to use throughout the state;
2-15 (9) from the information maintained by the
2-16 clearinghouse, publish and disseminate on a regular basis to the
2-17 public and to national, state, and local public and private
2-18 nonprofit agencies a directory of missing children and missing
2-19 persons;
2-20 (10) compile statistics on the number of missing
2-21 children cases handled and resolved by the clearinghouse each year,
2-22 including a summary of the facts of each case;
2-23 (11) assist in preparing and disseminating fliers and
2-24 other types of information concerning missing children and missing
2-25 persons and individuals believed to be abductors of missing
2-26 children and missing persons;
2-27 (12) assist in training law enforcement and other
3-1 professionals on issues relating to missing children, missing
3-2 persons, unidentified persons, and unidentified dead bodies; and
3-3 (13) operate a resource center on information
3-4 regarding the prevention of the abduction and sexual exploitation
3-5 of missing, exploited, and abused children.
3-6 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the
3-7 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-8 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-9 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-10 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-11 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-12 passage, and it is so enacted.