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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to requiring law enforcement agencies to make certain |
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radio communications available to the public. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 2, Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
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amended by adding Article 2.36 to read as follows: |
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Art. 2.36. DUTY OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY TO MAKE CERTAIN |
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RADIO COMMUNICATIONS AVAILABLE TO PUBLIC. (a) In this article: |
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(1) "Law enforcement agency" means an agency of the |
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state or an agency of a political subdivision of the state |
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authorized by law to employ peace officers. |
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(2) "Radio communication" means any audio |
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communication transmitted by a radio system. |
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(3) "Readily accessible to the general public" has the |
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meaning assigned by Section 16.02, Penal Code. |
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(b) Each law enforcement agency shall make radio |
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communications sent by the agency for a law enforcement purpose |
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readily accessible to the general public, except for radio |
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communications sent by designated units in the agency that perform: |
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(1) special operations; or |
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(2) the gathering and analyzing of information for the |
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purpose of generating intelligence. |
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SECTION 2. Notwithstanding Article 2.36, Code of Criminal |
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Procedure, as added by this Act, a law enforcement agency is not |
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required to comply with that article until January 1, 2024. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |