BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 1503
85R2844 JCG-F	By: Frullo et al. (Huffman)
	Criminal Justice
	5/18/2017
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

The Missing Children and Missing Persons Information Clearinghouse is a central repository of information on missing children, missing persons, and attempted child abductions. The clearinghouse is operated by the Department of Public Safety (DPS) and used by all law enforcement agencies of the state.

Currently, by statute, a law enforcement officer or local law enforcement agency reporting an attempted child abduction to the clearinghouse must make the report by use of the Texas Law Enforcement Telecommunications System or a successor system of telecommunication used by law enforcement agencies and operated by DPS. There are concerns over inconsistent reporting of information regarding an attempted child abduction by local law enforcement agencies to the clearinghouse. A more clearly defined reporting approach would improve analytical capabilities for investigating these events.

H.B. 1503 would improve public safety by clarifying the responsibilities of local law enforcement agencies for timely reporting an attempted child abduction to the clearinghouse. H.B. 1503 directs local law enforcement agencies to input information regarding the attempted child abduction as soon as practicable, but not later than eight hours after receiving the report. The bill directs that information not immediately available be entered into the clearinghouse as a supplement to the original entry as soon as possible.

H.B. 1503 amends current law relating to the reporting of attempted child abductions.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Article 63.0041, Code of Criminal Procedure, as follows:

Art. 63.0041. REPORTING OF ATTEMPTED CHILD ABDUCTION. (a) Requires a local law enforcement agency, on receiving a report of an attempted child abduction, as soon as practicable, but not later than eight hours after receiving the report, to provide any relevant information regarding the attempted child abduction to the Missing Children and Missing Persons Information Clearinghouse (clearinghouse). Requires that information not immediately available be obtained by the agency and entered into the clearinghouse as a supplement to the original entry as soon as possible.

(b) Creates this subsection from existing text and makes no further changes to this subsection.

SECTION 2. Repealer: Article 63.009(a-3) (relating to requiring local law enforcement agencies, on receiving a report of a missing child or person, to enter certain information into certain databases), Code of Criminal Procedure.

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2017.