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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of a task force to enhance the |
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prosecution and tracking of money laundering in this state. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 402, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 402.038 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 402.038. MONEY LAUNDERING TASK FORCE. (a) In this |
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section: |
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(1) "Money laundering" includes conduct prohibited |
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under Section 34.02, Penal Code. |
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(2) "Task force" means the money laundering task |
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force. |
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(b) The office of the attorney general shall establish the |
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task force to form a strategic partnership between state, federal, |
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and local law enforcement agencies to better enable law enforcement |
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and state agencies to take a proactive stance towards tracking and |
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prosecuting money laundering and the perpetrators of money |
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laundering statewide. |
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(c) The task force consists of the following persons or |
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their appointees: |
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(1) the attorney general; |
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(2) the public safety director of the Department of |
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Public Safety; |
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(3) the banking commissioner; |
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(4) the credit union commissioner; |
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(5) the securities commissioner; |
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(6) the savings and mortgage lending commissioner; and |
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(7) the comptroller. |
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(d) The task force may request assistance from the Federal |
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Bureau of Investigation, United States Secret Service, United |
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States Department of Justice, United States Department of Homeland |
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Security, Internal Revenue Service, United States Department of the |
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Treasury, United States Postal Service, and any other federal |
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agency the task force determines to be appropriate. |
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(e) The task force shall focus its efforts in: |
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(1) sharing information and resources; and |
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(2) successfully enforcing administrative and |
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criminal actions against perpetrators of money laundering. |
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(f) The agencies of the persons listed in Subsection (c) may |
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share confidential information or information to which access is |
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otherwise restricted by law with one or more of the other agencies |
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of the persons listed in Subsection (c) for investigative purposes |
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described by Subsection (b). Except as provided by this |
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subsection, confidential information that is shared under this |
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subsection remains confidential and legal restrictions on access to |
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the information apply. |
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(g) The task force shall submit to the governor, lieutenant |
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governor, and speaker of the house of representatives an annual |
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report that: |
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(1) describes the progress of each agency of the |
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persons listed in Subsection (c) in accomplishing the purposes |
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described by Subsection (b); and |
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(2) includes recommendations for strengthening state |
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and local efforts to prevent money laundering. |
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(h) The office of the attorney general shall oversee the |
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administration of the task force. The office of the attorney |
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general shall provide the necessary facilities to assist the task |
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force in performing its duties. Each agency of the persons listed |
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in Subsection (c) shall provide the necessary staff to assist the |
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task force in performing its duties. |
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(i) The agencies of the persons listed in Subsection (c) may |
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solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations of money, services, |
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or property on behalf of the state for disbursement to any state |
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agency or local law enforcement agency to aid the task force in the |
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investigation and prosecution of money laundering in this state. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |