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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 established in the treasury of the political |
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subdivision or maintained by the state law enforcement agency, as |
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applicable. The law enforcement agency shall administer the |
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separate special fund. Interest received from the investment of |
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money in the fund shall be credited to the fund. The agency may use |
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money in the fund only to provide scholarships to children of peace |
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officers who were employed by the agency or by another law |
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enforcement agency with which the agency has overlapping geographic |
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jurisdiction and who were killed in the line of duty. Scholarships |
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under this subsection may be used only to pay the costs of |
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attendance at an institution of higher education or private or |
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independent institution of higher education, including tuition and |
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fees and costs for housing, books, supplies, transportation, and |
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other related personal expenses. In this subsection, "institution |
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of higher education" and "private or independent institution of |
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higher education" have the meanings assigned by Section 61.003, |
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Education Code. |
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(s) Not later than February |
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1 of each year, the attorney |
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general shall develop a report based on information submitted by |
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law enforcement agencies and attorneys representing the state under |
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Subsection (g) detailing the total amount of funds forfeited, or |
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credited after the sale of forfeited property, in this state in the |
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preceding calendar year. The attorney general shall maintain in a |
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prominent location on the attorney general's publicly accessible |
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Internet website a link to the most recent annual report developed |
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under this subsection. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |