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.
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