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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the investigation of the death of a prisoner in county |
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jail. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 511.021, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (b-1), (d), and (e) |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) Not later than the 30th day after the date on which the |
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commission is notified of a [On the] death of a prisoner in a county |
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jail, the commission shall appoint a law enforcement agency, other |
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than the local law enforcement agency that operates the county |
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jail, to investigate the death [as soon as possible]. Except as |
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[otherwise] provided by Subsection (b), the appointed law |
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enforcement agency shall conduct the investigation and shall begin |
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the investigation as soon as practicable after being appointed |
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under this subsection. |
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(b-1) As soon as practicable after a law enforcement agency |
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is appointed by the commission under Subsection (a), the agency |
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shall notify the commission regarding whether the agency is |
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accepting the appointment or intends to present evidence to the |
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commission under Subsection (b). |
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(d) The commission shall publish on the commission's |
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Internet website the following information for each death of a |
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prisoner in a county jail: |
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(1) the county where the death occurred; |
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(2) the date that the death occurred; |
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(3) the name of the law enforcement agency appointed |
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under Subsection (a) to investigate the death; |
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(4) the date on which the law enforcement agency was |
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appointed; |
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(5) if the commission determines there is a conflict |
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of interest with the appointed law enforcement agency: |
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(A) the name of the new law enforcement agency |
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appointed to investigate the death; and |
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(B) the date on which the new law enforcement |
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agency was appointed; and |
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(6) whether the investigation is pending or completed. |
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(e) The information described by Subsection (d) must: |
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(1) be updated monthly; and |
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(2) remain published on the Internet website until at |
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least the second anniversary of the date of the prisoner's death. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |