Amend HB 1572 by adding appropriately numbered Sections to
the bill to read as follows and by renumbering existing Sections of
the bill accordingly:
      SECTION __. Subchapter A, Chapter 56, Code of Criminal
Procedure, is amended by adding Article 56.13 to read as follows:
      Art. 56.13.  CUSTODY AND COURT INFORMATION AND NOTIFICATION
SYSTEM. (a)  The victim services office of the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice shall establish, through funding from the
compensation to victims of crime fund, a program to implement and
operate a custody and court information and notification system to:
            (1)  establish a toll-free number that a person
anywhere in the state may call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, for
information regarding:
                  (A)  whether an offender has been released or
transferred or has escaped from custody;
                  (B)  the location of an offender who has been
transferred; and
                  (C)  scheduled public court proceedings and
dispositions related to a criminal offense; and
            (2)  notify the victim, or any concerned individual who
has provided the program with an address or telephone number as
required by Subsection (b), by telephone, facsimile, electronic
mail, letter, or any other reasonable means when there is a change
in:
                  (A)  the custody status of the offender; or
                  (B)  the schedule of a public court proceeding
related to the offense.
      (b)  It is the responsibility of the victim or a concerned
individual desiring notice under Subsection (a)(2) to provide the
victim services office of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice
with the telephone number, facsimile number, electronic mail
address, or address of the victim, concerned individual, or other
person through whom the victim or individual may be contacted and
to notify the victim services office of any change in telephone or
facsimile number, electronic mail address, or address of the
victim, individual, or other person.  Information obtained and
maintained by the victim services office under this subsection is
privileged and confidential.
      (c)  A county may elect to participate in the program by
receiving computer equipment for county courts and corrections
facilities from the victim services office of the Texas Department
of Criminal Justice under Subsection (e)(2) and providing
information to the victim services office. The victim services
office shall notify a victim or a concerned individual immediately
if the victim services office receives from a participating county
information that:
            (1)  the offender has been released or transferred;
            (2)  there has been a change in the schedule for a
public court proceeding related to the offense; or
            (3)  the offender has escaped from custody.
      (d)  The victim services office of the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice shall make available information and notification
services provided under this article in English, Spanish, and any
other languages selected by the program.
      (e)  As part of the information and notification system, the
victim services office of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice
shall:
            (1)  establish an automated system to notify victims
and concerned individuals under Subsection (a)(2) by a computerized
telephone service;
            (2)  provide computer equipment to corrections
facilities and courts to enable the corrections facilities and
courts to automatically notify the victim services office to enable
the victim services office to notify victims and concerned
individuals of information regarding the custody status of an
offender or a scheduled public court proceeding related to a
criminal offense;
            (3)  establish a service for monitoring the information
and notification systems;
            (4)  establish a project management team for the
implementation and ongoing operation of the information and
notification system to enable the victim services office to
effectively carry out the administration of the information and
notification system;
            (5)  create a secure Internet site for victim advocacy
groups selected by the project management team, to view offender
information and register victims for written notification; and
            (6)  provide training or support materials to educate
the public, law enforcement, and victim service providers on the
services provided by the program under this article.
      (f)  This article may not be construed as altering any duty
that a law enforcement agency has under the laws of this state to
notify a crime victim or a person designated by the victim to
receive notice.
      (g)  The victim services office of the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice is immune from liability for good faith conduct
under this section.
      SECTION __. Article 56.541, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
amended by adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:
      (g)  The victims services office of the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice shall use money appropriated from the compensation
to victims of crime fund for grants or contracts supporting a
custody and court information and notification system established
under Article 56.13.