1-1 By: West, et al. S.B. No. 1578 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 12, 1999; March 15, 1999, read 1-3 first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice; 1-4 April 12, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 7, 1-5 Nays 0; April 12, 1999, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to the creation of a statewide law enforcement gang 1-9 resource system. 1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-11 SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Code of Criminal Procedure, is 1-12 amended by adding Article 61.08 to read as follows: 1-13 Art. 61.08. GANG RESOURCE SYSTEM. (a) The office of the 1-14 attorney general shall establish an electronic gang resource system 1-15 to provide law enforcement agencies with information about criminal 1-16 street gangs in the state. The system shall include the following 1-17 information with regard to any gang: 1-18 (1) gang name; 1-19 (2) gang identifiers, such as colors used, tattoos, 1-20 and clothing preferences; 1-21 (3) criminal activities; 1-22 (4) migration trends; 1-23 (5) recruitment activities; and 1-24 (6) a local law enforcement contact. 1-25 (b) Upon request by the office of the attorney general, law 1-26 enforcement agencies shall make a reasonable attempt to provide 1-27 gang information to the office of the attorney general for the 1-28 purpose of maintaining an updated, comprehensive gang resource 1-29 system. 1-30 (c) The office of the attorney general shall cooperate with 1-31 law enforcement agencies in collecting and maintaining the accuracy 1-32 of the information included in the gang resource system. 1-33 (d) Information relating to the identity of a specific 1-34 offender or alleged offender may not be maintained in the gang 1-35 resource system. 1-36 (e) Information in the gang resource system may be used in 1-37 investigating gang-related crimes but shall not be included in 1-38 affidavits or subpoenas or used in connection with any other legal 1-39 or judicial proceedings. 1-40 (f) Access to the gang resource system shall be limited to 1-41 law enforcement personnel. 1-42 (g) Information in the gang resource system shall be 1-43 accessible by: 1-44 (1) municipality or county; and 1-45 (2) gang name. 1-46 (h) The office of the attorney general may coordinate with 1-47 the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to include information in 1-48 the gang resource system regarding groups which have been 1-49 identified by the Security Threat Group Management Office of the 1-50 Texas Department of Criminal Justice. 1-51 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 1-52 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-53 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-54 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-55 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 1-56 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 1-57 passage, and it is so enacted. 1-58 * * * * *