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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the use of proceeds from criminal asset forfeiture to |
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provide college scholarships to children of peace officers killed |
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in the line of duty and to an annual report regarding the total |
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value of forfeited property in this state. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Article 59.06, Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
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amended by adding Subsections (r) and (s) to read as follows: |
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(r) As a specific exception to Subsection (c)(2), (3), or |
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(4), a law enforcement agency may transfer not more than 10 percent |
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of the gross amount credited to the agency's fund to a separate |
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special fund in the treasury of the political subdivision or state |
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law enforcement agency, as applicable. The law enforcement agency |
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shall administer the separate special fund. Interest received from |
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the investment of money in the fund shall be credited to the fund. |
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The agency may use money in the fund only to provide scholarships to |
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children of peace officers who were employed by the agency or by |
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another law enforcement agency with which the agency has |
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overlapping geographic jurisdiction and who were killed in the line |
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of duty. Scholarships under this subsection may be used only to pay |
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the costs of attendance at an institution of higher education or |
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private or independent institution of higher education, including |
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tuition and fees and costs for housing, books, supplies, |
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transportation, and other related personal expenses. In this |
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subsection, "institution of higher education" and "private or |
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independent institution of higher education" have the meanings |
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assigned by Section 61.003, Education Code. |
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(s) Not later than April 1 of each year, the attorney |
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general shall develop a report detailing the total value of |
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forfeited property in this state in the preceding calendar year, as |
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specified according to the law enforcement agency seizing the |
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property. The attorney general shall maintain in a prominent |
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location on its publicly accessible Internet website a link to the |
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most recent annual report developed under this subsection. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |