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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the iWatchTexas community reporting system |
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administered by the Department of Public Safety and a monetary |
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reward program for certain information on suspicious or criminal |
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activity reported through that system; creating criminal offenses. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 4, Government Code, is amended |
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by adding Chapter 415 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 415. IWATCHTEXAS COMMUNITY REPORTING SYSTEM |
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SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS |
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Sec. 415.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "department" |
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means the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas. |
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Sec. 415.002. IWATCHTEXAS COMMUNITY REPORTING SYSTEM. The |
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iWatchTexas community reporting system is a statewide suspicious |
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activity reporting network administered by the department to |
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receive, process, document, analyze, and share reports of |
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suspicious activity or behavior that may indicate a criminal, |
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terroristic, or school safety-related threat. |
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SUBCHAPTER B. ADMINISTRATION OF IWATCHTEXAS COMMUNITY REPORTING |
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SYSTEM |
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Sec. 415.051. DUTIES OF DEPARTMENT. The department shall: |
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(1) administer and maintain the iWatchTexas community |
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reporting system as provided by this chapter in a manner that allows |
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any person to submit a report; and |
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(2) forward credible information submitted through |
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the system to the appropriate local law enforcement agency or |
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attorney representing the state for investigation and prosecution. |
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Sec. 415.052. CONFIDENTIALITY OF RECORDS. A record |
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relating to a report made to the iWatchTexas community reporting |
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system is confidential and is not subject to disclosure under |
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Chapter 552. |
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SUBCHAPTER C. MONETARY REWARD PROGRAM |
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Sec. 415.101. MONETARY REWARD PROGRAM. (a) The department |
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shall establish and administer a program to provide a monetary |
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reward to a person who submits a report to the iWatchTexas community |
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reporting system that: |
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(1) includes actionable information regarding a |
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criminal, terroristic, or school safety-related threat; and |
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(2) the department determines directly leads to the |
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arrest of a person engaging in organized criminal activity as |
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described by Section 71.02, Penal Code, or terrorism as described |
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by Section 76.02, Penal Code. |
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(b) The department shall set the amount of a reward provided |
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under the program established under this subchapter based on the |
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severity of the alleged offense reported and the usefulness of the |
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information provided, as determined by the department. |
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Sec. 415.102. FUNDING OF MONETARY REWARD PROGRAM. The |
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department may use any available revenue, including legislative |
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appropriations, and may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and |
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donations from a public or private source for purposes of |
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administering the monetary reward program established under this |
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subchapter. |
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Sec. 415.103. RULES. The department may adopt rules as |
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necessary for the implementation of the monetary reward program |
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established under this subchapter. |
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SUBCHAPTER D. OFFENSES AND PENALTIES |
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Sec. 415.151. FALSE REPORT TO OBTAIN MONETARY REWARD. (a) |
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A person commits an offense if, with the intent to obtain a monetary |
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reward under the monetary reward program established under |
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Subchapter C, the person knowingly reports false information |
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through the iWatchTexas community reporting system. |
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(b) An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor. |
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(c) If conduct constituting an offense under this section |
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also constitutes an offense under Section 37.08, Penal Code, the |
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actor may be prosecuted under either section but not both. |
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Sec. 415.152. PROHIBITED DISCLOSURE OF CONFIDENTIAL |
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INFORMATION. (a) Unless the disclosure is required by court order |
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or otherwise required or authorized by law, a person commits an |
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offense if the person knowingly discloses the identity of or other |
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identifying information concerning a person who reported |
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information through the iWatchTexas community reporting system |
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without the consent of the reporting person. |
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(b) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor, |
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except that an offense under this section is a felony of the third |
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degree if the offense is committed with the intent to obtain a |
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monetary gain or other benefit. |
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Sec. 415.153. INELIGIBILITY FOR STATE EMPLOYMENT. A person |
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convicted of an offense under Section 415.152 is not eligible for |
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state employment during the five-year period following the date the |
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conviction becomes final. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |