SRC-BWC S.B. 1455 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 1455 77R235 QS-DBy: Lucio Criminal Justice 4/29/2001 As Filed DIGEST AND PURPOSE Following a triple homicide in Brownsville, Texas, the juvenile suspect fled to the Houston area. The Brownsville police department was prohibited by law from releasing any information about the suspect to the public because the suspect was a juvenile. During the 76th Legislature, S.B. 187 was passed authorizing the Department of Public Safety (department) to release certain information to the public concerning juveniles suspected of committing violent felonies who had fled from apprehension if the department found it necessary to protect the welfare of the community. This information could only be released upon a directive to apprehend or an arrest warrant issued by the court. As proposed, S.B. 1455 requires the department to release information on violent juvenile offenders to the public if a law enforcement agency has been authorized to apprehend the offender or an arrest warrant has been issued for the offender's arrest. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTIONS 1. Requires the Department of Public Safety (department), rather than authorizes the department if necessary to protect the welfare of the community, to disseminate to the public the information listed under Subsection (c) relating to a juvenile offender when notified by a law enforcement agency that the law enforcement agency has been issued a directive to apprehend the offender or an arrest warrant for the offender or that the law enforcement agency is otherwise authorized to arrest the offender and that the offender is suspected of having committed certain acts. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2001. Makes application of this Act prospective.