By:  West, Duncan, Lindsay                            S.B. No. 1578
              Moncrief
         99S0454/1                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                       AN ACT
 1-1     relating to the creation of a statewide law enforcement gang
 1-2     resource system.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Chapter 61, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
 1-5     amended by adding Article 61.08 to read as follows:
 1-6           Art. 61.08.  GANG RESOURCE SYSTEM.  (a)  The office of the
 1-7     attorney general shall establish an electronic gang resource system
 1-8     to provide law enforcement agencies with information about criminal
 1-9     street gangs in the state.  The system shall include the following
1-10     information with regard to any gang:
1-11                 (1)  gang name;
1-12                 (2)  gang identifiers, such as colors used, tattoos,
1-13     and clothing preferences;
1-14                 (3)  criminal activities;
1-15                 (4)  migration trends;
1-16                 (5)  recruitment activities; and
1-17                 (6)  a local law enforcement contact.
1-18           (b)  Upon request by the office of the attorney general, law
1-19     enforcement agencies shall make a reasonable attempt to provide
1-20     gang information to the office of the attorney general for the
1-21     purpose of maintaining an updated, comprehensive gang resource
1-22     system.
1-23           (c)  The office of the attorney general shall cooperate with
1-24     law enforcement agencies in collecting and maintaining the accuracy
 2-1     of the information included in the gang resource system.
 2-2           (d)  Information relating to the identity of a specific
 2-3     offender or alleged offender may not be maintained in the gang
 2-4     resource system.
 2-5           (e)  Information in the gang resource system may be used in
 2-6     investigating gang-related crimes but shall not be included in
 2-7     affidavits or subpoenas or used in connection with any other legal
 2-8     or judicial proceedings.
 2-9           (f)  Access to the gang resource system shall be limited to
2-10     law enforcement personnel.
2-11           (g)  Information in the gang resource system shall be
2-12     accessible by:
2-13                 (1)  municipality or county; and
2-14                 (2)  gang name.
2-15           (h)  The office of the attorney general may coordinate with
2-16     the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to include information in
2-17     the gang resource system regarding groups which have been
2-18     identified by the Security Threat Group Management Office of the
2-19     Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
2-20           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-21     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-22     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-23     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-24     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-25     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-26     passage, and it is so enacted.