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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of an organized oilfield theft prevention |
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unit within the Department of Public Safety. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 411, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter C-1 to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER C-1. ORGANIZED OILFIELD THEFT PREVENTION UNIT |
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Sec. 411.035. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Oil and gas equipment" means machinery, drilling |
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equipment, welding equipment, pipe, fittings, pumps, vehicles, or |
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other equipment used in the drilling or maintenance of oil and gas |
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wells, in the production of oil and gas, or to transport petroleum |
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products. |
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(2) "Petroleum product" has the meaning assigned by |
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Section 31.19(a), Penal Code. |
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(3) "Unit" means the organized oilfield theft |
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prevention unit established under this subchapter. |
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Sec. 411.036. ORGANIZED OILFIELD THEFT PREVENTION UNIT. |
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(a) The director shall create an organized oilfield theft |
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prevention unit to be operated by the department. |
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(b) The unit shall investigate and arrest individuals |
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determined to have committed an offense under: |
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(1) Section 31.19, Penal Code; or |
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(2) Section 31.03, Penal Code, if the unlawfully |
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appropriated property includes oil and gas equipment. |
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(c) The unit shall coordinate with federal, state, and local |
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law enforcement agencies, attorneys representing the state, the |
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Railroad Commission of Texas, and any person who is a victim of an |
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offense described by Subsection (b) as necessary to carry out the |
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duties of the unit. |
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(d) The director shall designate a command structure within |
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the department to supervise the operations of the unit. |
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(e) The director shall adopt rules, subject to commission |
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approval, as necessary for the control and general administration |
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of the unit, including rules: |
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(1) governing the procurement of facilities and |
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equipment for the unit; |
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(2) regarding required training for unit personnel; |
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and |
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(3) regarding working conditions of unit personnel. |
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Sec. 411.037. JURISDICTION; HEADQUARTERS. The unit has |
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statewide jurisdiction but shall operate primarily within the |
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designated region of the department that is adjacent to the |
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international border and contains the city of El Paso. The unit's |
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headquarters must be located in that region. |
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Sec. 411.038. UNIT DUTIES. The unit, together with the |
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department, shall: |
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(1) develop and deploy to local law enforcement |
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agencies specialized training, resources, and policing strategies |
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tailored to investigating and preventing offenses described by |
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Section 411.036(b); |
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(2) conduct public outreach and awareness initiatives |
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to educate industry professionals and communities regarding |
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offenses described by Section 411.036(b); and |
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(3) maintain a centralized database for tracking |
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offenses described by Section 411.036(b) and related criminal |
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enterprises. |
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Sec. 411.039. BIENNIAL REPORT. Not later than January 1 of |
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each odd-numbered year, the department shall prepare and submit to |
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the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of |
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representatives, and each standing committee of the legislature |
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with primary jurisdiction over natural resources or criminal |
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justice matters a written report that: |
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(1) summarizes the unit's activities and evaluates the |
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unit's effectiveness during the preceding two-year period, |
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including by providing statistics regarding any arrests made by the |
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unit and any prosecutions that resulted from those arrests or |
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assets that were recovered as a result of those arrests; and |
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(2) provides recommendations for legislative or |
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administrative action to improve the effectiveness of the unit. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2025, the public |
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safety director of the Department of Public Safety of the State of |
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Texas shall adopt rules necessary to implement Subchapter C-1, |
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Chapter 411, Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. 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, 2025. |