| TO: | Honorable John Whitmire, Chair, Senate Committee on Criminal Justice |
| FROM: | John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB1843 by Carona (Relating to investigations of certain offenses involving the Internet-based sexual exploitation of a minor; creating the Internet crimes against children account to support those activities. ), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted |
The bill would amend the Texas Government Code and create the General Revenue-Dedicated Internet Crimes Against Children Account that would receive money transferred by the Legislature to the account, gifts, grants, donations, and the interest earned on the account. Money in the account may only be appropriated only to support the administration and activities of an Internet crimes against children (ICAC) task force that is operating under the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) or has its principal office located in a municipality with a population of one million or more.
In addition, the bill provides that the OAG shall assist prosecuting attorneys in obtaining administrative subpoenas to investigate and prosecute offenses that involve the Internet-based sexual exploitation of a minor. It is anticipated that any additional costs associated with implementation of the legislation could be absorbed within existing resources.
This legislation would do one or more of the following: create or recreate a dedicated account in the General Revenue Fund, create or recreate a special or trust fund either with or outside of the Treasury, or create a dedicated revenue source. The fund, account, or revenue dedication included in this bill would be subject to funds consolidation review by the current Legislature.
| Source Agencies: | 302 Office of the Attorney General, 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, ESi, JM
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