1-1     By:  Giddings, Turner of Harris                       H.B. No. 1748
 1-2          (Senate Sponsor - Barrientos)
 1-3           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 11, 2001;
 1-4     May 11, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal
 1-5     Justice; May 11, 2001, reported favorably by the following vote:
 1-6     Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 11, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-7                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-8                                   AN ACT
 1-9     relating to the creation of an unsolved crimes investigation team
1-10     within the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas.
1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-12           SECTION 1. Chapter 411, Government Code, is amended by adding
1-13     Subchapter J to read as follows:
1-14              SUBCHAPTER J.  UNSOLVED CRIMES INVESTIGATION TEAM
1-15           Sec. 411.261.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:
1-16                 (1)  "Attorney representing the state" means a district
1-17     attorney, criminal district attorney, or county attorney performing
1-18     the duties of a district attorney.
1-19                 (2)  "Unsolved crime" means a criminal offense:
1-20                       (A)  that is an unsolved homicide or an unsolved
1-21     felony that is one offense arising out of the same criminal episode
1-22     as other unsolved felonies; and
1-23                       (B)  the investigation of which requires a level
1-24     of expertise that is not readily available to local law enforcement
1-25     agencies.
1-26           Sec. 411.262.  UNSOLVED CRIMES INVESTIGATION TEAM. (a)  The
1-27     unsolved crimes investigation team is an investigatory unit within
1-28     the department.
1-29           (b)  The team will be located at the headquarters of the
1-30     Texas Rangers in Austin, Texas, and will be commanded by the chief
1-31     of the Texas Rangers.
1-32           (c)  The director may employ commissioned peace officers and
1-33     noncommissioned employees to perform duties required of the team.
1-34           (d)  To be eligible for employment under this section, a
1-35     peace officer must have not less than four years of experience as a
1-36     peace officer and:
1-37                 (1)  a degree from an accredited institution of higher
1-38     education in law, accounting, or computer science; or
1-39                 (2)  two or more years of experience in the
1-40     investigation of homicides or other major felonies.
1-41           (e)  To be eligible for employment under this section, a
1-42     noncommissioned employee must meet the experience, training, and
1-43     educational qualifications set by the director as requirements for
1-44     investigating or assisting in the investigation of an unsolved
1-45     crime.
1-46           Sec. 411.263.  ASSISTANCE ON REQUEST. On the request of an
1-47     attorney representing the state and with the approval of the
1-48     director, the unsolved crimes investigation team of the department
1-49     may assist local law enforcement in the investigation of crime.
1-50           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
1-51                                  * * * * *