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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the duties of the Texas Crime Stoppers Council to |
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encourage individuals to report criminal activity related to |
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trafficking of persons. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 414.005, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 414.005. DUTIES. The council shall: |
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(1) encourage, advise, and assist in the creation of |
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crime stoppers organizations; |
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(2) foster the detection of crime and encourage |
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persons to report information about criminal acts; |
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(3) encourage news and other media to broadcast |
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reenactments and to inform the public of the functions of crime |
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stoppers organizations' operations and programs; |
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(4) promote the process of crime stoppers |
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organizations to forward information about criminal acts to the |
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appropriate law enforcement agencies; |
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(5) help law enforcement agencies detect and combat |
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crime by increasing the flow of information to and between law |
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enforcement agencies; |
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(6) create specialized programs targeted at detecting |
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specific crimes or types of crimes, including at least one program |
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that: |
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(A) encourages individuals to report sex |
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offenders who have failed to register under Chapter 62, Code of |
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Criminal Procedure; [and] |
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(B) encourages individuals to report criminal |
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activity relating to the trafficking of persons, as described under |
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Chapter 20A, Penal Code; and |
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(C) financially rewards each individual who |
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makes a report described by Paragraph (A) or (B) that leads or |
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substantially contributes to the arrest or apprehension: |
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(i) of a sex offender who has failed to |
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register under Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure; or |
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(ii) of a person suspected of engaging in |
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conduct that constitutes an offense under Chapter 20A, Penal Code; |
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and |
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(7) encourage, advise, and assist crime stoppers |
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organizations in implementing any programs created under |
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Subdivision (6), including a program specifically described by |
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Subdivision (6). |
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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, 2013. |