BILL ANALYSIS
By: Bohac
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The Crime Records Service (CRS) online is a section of the umbrella website run by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS). This website has a feature that allows users to perform a public sex offender search based on criteria including zip code, mapping, institution of higher learning, and the specific name of an offender.
Many citizens likely search for sex offenders based on their city or zip code. However, if a state legislator wants to search for all sex offenders in his or her district, the member would be forced to enter multiple zip codes in order to obtain overall results. Additionally, the only way to have updated results is to perform the search on a regular basis.
While public access to information on sex offenders is useful, the application of this feature could be improved, particularly for state legislators who request district-wide results and have a desire to receive updated results.
House Bill 1453 allows this information to be more easily accessible to state legislators by requiring DPS to maintain an electronic mail report service for state legislators who wish to subscribe.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
House Bill 1453 requires the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) to maintain an electronic mail report service to which a member of the house of representatives or the senate of this state may electronically subscribe.
This bill provides that the electronic mail report service must allow a subscribing representative or senator to request for each zip code, any portion of which is located in their district, notification of the release from a penal institution or placement on deferred adjudication community supervision, community supervision, or juvenile probation of a person who expects to reside or resides in that zip code and is required to register under Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure. The electronic mail report service shall be delivered to the subscriber at least monthly and must also include any change in address of a person who expects to reside or resides in that zip code and is required to register under Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure, as well as any public information described by Article 62.005, Code of Criminal Procedure.
HB 1453 requires DPS to have the electronic mail report service fully functional and able to receive subscription requests and respond appropriately to those requests not later than January 1, 2008.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2007.