AN ACT
1-1 relating to the creation of the Texas Violent Gang Task Force.
1-2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-3 SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
1-4 amended by adding Article 61.07 to read as follows:
1-5 Art. 61.07. TEXAS VIOLENT GANG TASK FORCE. (a) In this
1-6 article, "task force" means the Texas Violent Gang Task Force.
1-7 (b) The purpose of the task force is to form a strategic
1-8 partnership between state, federal, and local law enforcement
1-9 agencies to better enable law enforcement and correctional agencies
1-10 to take a proactive stance towards tracking gang activity and the
1-11 growth and spread of gangs statewide.
1-12 (c) The task force shall focus its efforts on:
1-13 (1) developing a statewide networking system that will
1-14 provide timely access to gang information;
1-15 (2) establishing communication between different law
1-16 enforcement agencies, combining independent agency resources, and
1-17 joining agencies together in a cooperative effort to focus on gang
1-18 membership, gang activity, and gang migration trends; and
1-19 (3) forming a working group of law enforcement and
1-20 correctional representatives from throughout the state to discuss
1-21 specific cases and investigations involving gangs and other related
1-22 gang activities.
1-23 (d) The task force may take any other actions as necessary
1-24 to accomplish the purposes of this article.
2-1 (e) The Department of Public Safety shall support the task
2-2 force to assist in coordinating statewide antigang initiatives.
2-3 (f) The task force shall consist of:
2-4 (1) a representative of the Department of Public
2-5 Safety designated by the director of that agency;
2-6 (2) a representative of the Texas Department of
2-7 Criminal Justice designated by the executive director of that
2-8 agency;
2-9 (3) a representative of the Texas Youth Commission
2-10 designated by the executive director of that agency;
2-11 (4) a representative of the Texas Juvenile Probation
2-12 Commission designated by the executive director of that agency;
2-13 (5) a representative of the Criminal Justice Policy
2-14 Council designated by the executive director of that agency;
2-15 (6) a representative of the office of the attorney
2-16 general designated by the attorney general; and
2-17 (7) three local law enforcement or adult or juvenile
2-18 community supervision personnel and a prosecuting attorney
2-19 designated by the governor.
2-20 SECTION 2. Not later than October 1, 1999, the governor, the
2-21 attorney general, the director of the Department of Public Safety
2-22 of the State of Texas, and the executive directors of the Texas
2-23 Department of Criminal Justice, the Texas Youth Commission, the
2-24 Texas Juvenile Probation Commission, and the Criminal Justice
2-25 Policy Council shall designate their respective representatives to
2-26 the Texas Violent Gang Task Force created under Article 61.07, Code
3-1 of Criminal Procedure, as added by this Act.
3-2 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
3-3 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-4 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-5 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-6 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
3-7 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
3-8 passage, and it is so enacted.
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1580 passed the Senate on
April 16, 1999, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1580 passed the House on
May 26, 1999, by the following vote: Yeas 144, Nays 0, two present
not voting.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
_______________________________
Date
_______________________________
Governor