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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the Texas Crime Stoppers Council. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 414.004, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 414.004. DIRECTOR. The [council and the] executive |
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director of the criminal justice division of the governor's office, |
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with input from the council, shall designate a person to serve as |
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director. [The director must be approved by the governor.] The |
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executive director [council] shall consult with the council to |
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define the director's authority and responsibilities. |
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SECTION 2. Section 414.012, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 414.012. STATEWIDE CRIME REPORTING SYSTEMS [TOLL-FREE
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TELEPHONE SERVICE]. The council shall establish a statewide [and
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operate a toll-free] telephone service and other appropriate |
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systems to allow information about criminal acts to be reported to |
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the council and shall make the telephone service and other |
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reporting systems accessible at all times to persons residing in |
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areas of the state not served by a crime stoppers organization [for
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reporting to the council information about criminal acts]. [The
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toll-free service must be available between the hours of 5 p.m. and
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8 a.m. Monday through Thursday and from 5 p.m. Friday until 8 a.m.
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Monday.] The council shall forward the information received to |
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appropriate law enforcement agencies or crime stoppers |
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organization. |
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SECTION 3. Article 102.013(a), Code of Criminal Procedure, |
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is amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The legislature shall appropriate funds from the crime |
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stoppers assistance account to the Criminal Justice Division of the |
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Governor's Office. The Criminal Justice Division may use 10 |
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percent of the funds for the operation of the statewide [toll-free] |
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telephone service or other appropriate systems for the reporting of |
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crime under Section 414.012, Government Code, and shall distribute |
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the remainder of the funds only to crime stoppers organizations. |
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The Criminal Justice Division may adopt a budget and rules to |
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implement the distribution of these funds. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |