By Elkins                                             H.R. No. 1174
         77R16201 MTD-D                           
                                 R E S O L U T I O N
 1-1           WHEREAS, Texas has a responsibility to protect public safety
 1-2     by appropriately managing the risk posed by offenders who do not
 1-3     abide by the terms and conditions of their probation or parole; and
 1-4           WHEREAS, At the time a person is released on parole or
 1-5     mandatory supervision or granted community supervision, the parolee
 1-6     must agree to comply with certain terms, rules, and conditions
 1-7     while under the continued supervision of the Texas Department of
 1-8     Criminal Justice or the local community supervision and corrections
 1-9     departments; and
1-10           WHEREAS, If an offender violates the terms of release,
1-11     absconds from supervision, or is arrested on allegations of a new
1-12     offense, the parole, mandatory supervision, or community
1-13     supervision may be revoked and the offender incarcerated; and
1-14           WHEREAS, In Texas, there are thousands of offenders who have
1-15     violated the conditions of their parole, mandatory supervision, or
1-16     community supervision and have outstanding arrest warrants, and
1-17     approximately 20 percent of these offenders have additional
1-18     criminal charges filed against them; and
1-19           WHEREAS, Any fugitive should be considered dangerous and a
1-20     threat to the well-being of society, and it is incumbent upon the
1-21     state to seek new and innovative methods to protect the public; and
1-22           WHEREAS, One method to shield society from these dangerous
1-23     criminals is for the Texas Department of Public Safety to develop a
1-24     database listing fugitives who have outstanding arrest warrants for
 2-1     violating the terms and conditions of their parole, mandatory
 2-2     supervision, or community supervision agreements; and
 2-3           WHEREAS, Once developed, the database must be made available
 2-4     to the public, as access to this vital information would enable
 2-5     citizens to become better informed so that they may protect their
 2-6     loved ones and safeguard their property from the devastating
 2-7     effects of crime; now, therefore, be it
 2-8           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 77th Texas
 2-9     Legislature hereby urge the Texas Department of Public Safety to
2-10     create a public database that lists the offenders who have violated
2-11     the terms and conditions of their parole, mandatory supervision, or
2-12     community supervision agreements and have outstanding arrest
2-13     warrants against them; and, be it further
2-14           RESOLVED, That the chief clerk of the house of
2-15     representatives forward an official copy of this resolution to the
2-16     director of the Texas Department of Public Safety.