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AN ACT
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relating to the homeland security activities of certain entities, |
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including the establishment and operations of the Homeland Security |
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Division in 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. Section 411.002(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) The Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas is |
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an agency of the state to enforce the laws protecting the public |
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safety and provide for the prevention and detection of crime. The |
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department is composed of the Texas Rangers, the Homeland Security |
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Division, the Texas Highway Patrol, the administrative division, |
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and other divisions that the commission considers necessary. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 411, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter S to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER S. HOMELAND SECURITY DIVISION |
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Sec. 411.551. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Chief" means the chief of the division appointed |
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under Section 411.552. |
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(2) "Division" means the Homeland Security Division of |
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the department established under this subchapter. |
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(3) "Local government" means any municipality, |
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county, special-purpose district or authority, or other political |
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subdivision of this state. |
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(4) "State agency" means a board, commission, council, |
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committee, department, office, agency, or other governmental |
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entity in the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of state |
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government. The term includes an institution of higher education |
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as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code. |
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Sec. 411.552. HOMELAND SECURITY DIVISION; CHIEF. (a) The |
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Homeland Security Division is established in the department to lead |
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multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional, and public-private efforts to |
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enhance law enforcement initiatives and operations in support of |
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homeland security objectives in this state. |
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(b) The director shall appoint the chief with the consent of |
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the commission. |
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(c) The chief acts as the chief administrative officer of |
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the division and is under the supervision and direction of the |
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director, and to the extent the director determines, a deputy |
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director of the department. |
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Sec. 411.553. DEPUTY CHIEFS AND OTHER EMPLOYEES; |
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DELEGATION. (a) The chief may employ deputy chiefs and other |
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employees as necessary to perform the duties or exercise the powers |
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of the division or perform any duty or exercise any power of the |
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department assigned to the division. |
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(b) The chief may delegate any power or duty assigned to the |
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division or chief unless prohibited by statute or rule. |
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Sec. 411.554. BORDER SECURITY: PLANNING AND COORDINATION. |
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(a) The division shall, in collaboration with any other person who |
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by law performs similar duties: |
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(1) provide the strategic and operational planning for |
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border security operations of this state; and |
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(2) support the border security operations of this |
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state by coordinating the law enforcement efforts of federal and |
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state agencies, local governments, and private organizations and by |
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ensuring clarity and alignment on the law enforcement priorities |
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and responsibilities of each stakeholder. |
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(b) The division shall assist as necessary the department, |
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including each department region, with the department's tactical |
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planning of border security operations. The division shall produce |
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intelligence and similar reports as necessary to provide the |
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assistance required by this subsection. |
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Sec. 411.555. BORDER SECURITY: INTELLIGENCE. (a) The |
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division shall coordinate the collection, dissemination, and |
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analysis of intelligence for this state's border security |
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operations and shall operate intelligence centers dedicated to this |
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purpose. |
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(b) The division shall establish policies and procedures |
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relating to the collection and management of intelligence, |
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including establishing collection priorities and assigning the |
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management responsibilities, for state agencies, local |
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governments, and any private organizations participating in border |
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security operations. |
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(c) With respect to the border security operations of this |
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state, the division shall analyze and assess collected intelligence |
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to produce information bulletins and other similar reports |
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considered advisable. |
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(d) The division shall manage the program for the |
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installation and monitoring of cameras and surveillance equipment |
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along the Texas-Mexico border, known as Operation Drawbridge. |
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Sec. 411.556. HOMELAND SECURITY PLANNING AND PREPAREDNESS. |
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(a) The division shall, in collaboration with any other person who |
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by law performs similar duties: |
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(1) regularly develop a comprehensive homeland |
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security strategic plan for this state; |
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(2) plan and facilitate homeland security exercises in |
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coordination with the Texas Division of Emergency Management and |
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other state agencies, federal agencies, local governments, and any |
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participating private organizations; |
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(3) develop operational and tactical plans for |
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significant law enforcement emergencies or contingencies, |
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including assisting each department region with developing plans |
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specific to the needs of that region; |
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(4) conduct assessments of: |
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(A) the risks and hazards posed to this state by |
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criminal actors and organizations; and |
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(B) the capabilities of state and local |
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stakeholders to respond to the occurrence of those risks and |
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hazards, including by coordinating the annual completion by state |
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agencies and local governments of the following federal |
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assessments: |
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(i) the Threat and Hazard Identification |
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and Risk Assessment; and |
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(ii) the Stakeholder Preparedness Review; |
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(5) establish programs for regular outreach to and |
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information sharing among public and private organizations |
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regarding threats by criminal actors and organizations, including: |
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(A) coordinating the Bomb-Making Materials |
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Awareness Program and similar programs; and |
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(B) ensuring private industry organizations are |
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aware of: |
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(i) criminal threats to critical |
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infrastructure, such as espionage and sabotage operations; |
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(ii) best practices for protecting critical |
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infrastructure from criminal actors and organizations; and |
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(iii) available law enforcement resources |
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to assist in protecting critical infrastructure from criminal |
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actors and organizations and responding to those threats; and |
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(6) assist state agencies and local governments in |
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complying with restrictions under federal law on commerce with |
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certain entities, including any entity: |
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(A) listed in Supplement No. 4 to 15 C.F.R. Part |
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744; |
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(B) identified as a Chinese military company by |
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the United States Secretary of Defense in accordance with Section |
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1260H of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year |
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2021 (Pub. L. 116-283); or |
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(C) restricted under any similar sanction |
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program under federal law. |
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(b) The division shall develop any additional assessment |
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for risks and hazards posed by criminal actors and organizations |
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the division considers necessary and include in the strategic plan |
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required by Subsection (a)(1) recommendations to mitigate those |
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risks and hazards. |
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(c) The division may administer, or assist the department in |
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administering, an internship program for students and other |
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interested persons to participate in the operations of the |
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division, or the department, as appropriate. |
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Sec. 411.557. PLANNING FOR PHYSICAL PROTECTION OF CRITICAL |
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INFRASTRUCTURE. (a) The division shall coordinate multi-agency, |
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multi-jurisdictional, and public-private efforts to protect the |
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critical infrastructure in this state from criminal actors and |
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organizations. Within the 16 critical infrastructure sectors |
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identified by National Security Memorandum on Critical |
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Infrastructure Security and Resilience (NSM-22) issued by the |
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president of the United States, the division shall prioritize the |
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division's efforts in ensuring the physical protection of critical |
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infrastructure in the following sectors: |
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(1) energy; |
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(2) communications; |
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(3) transportation systems; and |
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(4) water and wastewater systems. |
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(b) With respect to potential threats to the critical |
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infrastructure in this state, the division may analyze and assess |
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collected intelligence to produce information bulletins and other |
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similar reports considered advisable. |
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(c) The division shall develop a system to identify and |
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categorize critical infrastructure in this state for the purpose of |
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facilitating initiatives to protect the critical infrastructure |
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from criminal actors and organizations, including for facilitating |
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any risk assessment of critical infrastructure assets or systems in |
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this state and identifying any dependency or interdependency among |
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those assets or systems. |
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(d) The division shall conduct exercises to enhance |
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public-private coordination in protecting the critical |
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infrastructure of this state from criminal actors and |
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organizations. |
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(e) During any disaster, as that term is defined by Section |
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418.004, the division shall provide support to the state operations |
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center described by Section 418.041(e). |
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Sec. 411.558. INFRASTRUCTURE LIAISON OFFICER PROGRAM. (a) |
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The division shall operate a program to train volunteers from |
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public and private organizations to: |
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(1) collect or receive intelligence information |
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related to threats to critical infrastructure; and |
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(2) properly identify threats to critical |
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infrastructure and report those threats to the department. |
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(b) The division may set reasonable eligibility |
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requirements for the program. |
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Sec. 411.559. WORK GROUPS; STUDY OF TECHNOLOGIES. (a) The |
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division may establish and appoint members to one or more work |
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groups to: |
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(1) study any issue related to the division's duties or |
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the law enforcement initiatives or operations of this state; and |
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(2) advise or produce written reports on an issue |
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studied under Subdivision (1). |
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(b) A work group established under this section may be |
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composed of representatives from state and federal agencies, local |
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governments, and private organizations. The division may provide |
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administrative support for any work group established under this |
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section. |
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(c) The division shall, in collaboration with any person who |
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by law performs similar duties, establish or operate work groups to |
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study methods or technologies to enhance the border security |
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operations of this state and the security of the critical |
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infrastructure of this state, including any task force established |
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to survey the vulnerabilities of state government, local |
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governments, and critical infrastructure. |
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Sec. 411.560. RESEARCH. (a) The division shall annually |
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propose to the commission the research priorities and a research |
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agenda for the department. |
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(b) The division shall coordinate with institutions of |
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higher education, as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code, to |
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enhance the research capabilities of the institutions and the |
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department by sharing information and aligning priorities. |
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(c) The division shall research new technologies to enhance |
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the law enforcement initiatives and operations conducted by this |
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state, including any border security operation conducted by a state |
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agency, local government, or private organization. |
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Sec. 411.561. COUNSEL AND BUDGETING. (a) In this section, |
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"homeland security activity" means any activity related to the |
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prevention or discovery of, response to, or recovery from: |
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(1) a terrorist attack; |
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(2) a hostile military or paramilitary action; or |
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(3) an extraordinary law enforcement emergency. |
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(b) The division shall, on request, provide subject matter |
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expertise and counsel to a state agency or local government |
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regarding the state's border security operations and critical |
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infrastructure protection initiatives, including related grant |
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programs, legislation, risk management assessments, and other |
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initiatives. |
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(c) The division shall confer with each state agency |
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involved in any homeland security activity before each legislative |
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session regarding the portion of the state agency's budget request |
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that finances the agency's homeland security activities. The |
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division shall coordinate with the state agencies to eliminate |
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unnecessary redundancies and increase the efficiency of state |
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agency efforts in conducting homeland security activities. |
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Sec. 411.562. WEBSITE AND REPORTS. The division shall |
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maintain a publicly accessible Internet website and publish |
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assessments and other reports produced by the division that are not |
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excepted from disclosure under Section 552.021 and not |
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confidential. |
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Sec. 411.563. SENSITIVE INFORMATION PROVIDED BY PRIVATE |
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ORGANIZATIONS. (a) If in performing any duty or exercising any |
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authority under this subchapter the division or a work group or task |
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force of the division is provided information by a private |
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organization that the private organization considers highly |
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sensitive, proprietary, or otherwise confidential and the private |
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organization notifies in writing the division, work group, or task |
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force of that fact: |
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(1) the information is not public information for |
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purposes of Chapter 552, and is excepted from the requirements of |
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Section 552.021; and |
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(2) the division or applicable work group or task |
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force: |
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(A) shall secure the information in the same |
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manner as the private organization secures the information; and |
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(B) may not further disclose the information |
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without the consent of the private organization. |
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(b) If the division or a work group or task force of the |
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division is required to disclose information described by |
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Subsection (a) to comply with applicable state or federal law or a |
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court order, the division or applicable work group or task force |
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shall to the extent practicable: |
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(1) not later than the fifth business day before the |
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date the information is disclosed, notify the private organization |
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that provided the information of the required disclosure; and |
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(2) disclose the information in the same condition as |
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the division or applicable work group or task force received the |
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information, including providing any labels or other markings that |
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were originally provided with the information. |
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SECTION 3. Section 421.024, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 421.024. DUTIES. The council shall, in collaboration |
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with the Homeland Security Division of the Department of Public |
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Safety, advise the governor on: |
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(1) the implementation of the governor's homeland |
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security strategy by state and local agencies and provide specific |
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suggestions for helping those agencies implement the strategy; and |
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(2) other matters related to the planning, |
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development, coordination, and implementation of initiatives to |
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promote the governor's homeland security strategy. |
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SECTION 4. Section 421.045, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 421.045. DUTIES. Each permanent special advisory |
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committee created under this subchapter shall, in collaboration |
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with the Homeland Security Division of the Department of Public |
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Safety, advise the governor on: |
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(1) the implementation of the governor's homeland |
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security strategy by state and local agencies and provide specific |
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suggestions for helping those agencies implement the strategy; |
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(2) specific priorities related to the governor's |
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homeland security strategy that the committee determines to be of |
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significant importance to the statewide security of critical |
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infrastructure; and |
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(3) other matters related to the planning, |
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development, coordination, and implementation of initiatives to |
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promote the governor's homeland security strategy. |
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SECTION 5. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Department" means the Department of Public |
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Safety. |
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(2) "Transferring agency" means a state agency that is |
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required to transfer the management and operations of a center to |
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the department under Subsection (b)(2) of this section. |
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(b) As soon as practicable after the effective date of this |
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Act, the department shall: |
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(1) transfer the management and operations of the |
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Border Security Operations Center and the Joint Operations and |
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Intelligence Centers to the Texas Homeland Security Division in the |
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department; and |
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(2) enter into a written agreement with any other |
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state agency that, before the effective date of this Act, is |
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involved in the management or operations of the centers described |
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by Subdivision (1) of this subsection for the transfer of the |
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management and operations of those centers to the division, |
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including any land, facilities, equipment, and other property |
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involved in the operations of the centers. |
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(c) The written agreement required by Subsection (b)(2) of |
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this section must specify an effective date for the transfer. |
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(d) Any rules, policies, procedures, decisions, and forms |
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of a transferring agency that relate to the management or |
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operations of a center in effect on the effective date of the |
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transfer remain in effect until changed by the department. |
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(e) All money, contracts, leases, property, software source |
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code and documentation, records, and obligations of a transferring |
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agency that relate to the management or operations of a center are |
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transferred to the department on the effective date of the |
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transfer. |
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(f) The unexpended and unobligated balance of any money |
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appropriated by the legislature relating to a center transferred |
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under this Act is transferred to the department on the effective |
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date of the transfer of the center. |
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(g) A transferring agency shall provide the department with |
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access to any systems, facilities, or information necessary for the |
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department to accept the management and operations of a center |
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transferred under this Act. |
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(h) On the effective date of the transfer, all full-time |
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equivalent employee positions at the transferring agency that |
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concern the management or operations of a center being transferred |
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become positions at the department. The department shall post the |
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positions for hiring and, when filling the positions, shall give |
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consideration to, but is not required to hire, an applicant who, |
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immediately before the date of the transfer, was an employee at a |
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transferring agency. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I hereby certify that S.B. No. 36 passed the Senate on |
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April 10, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 27, Nays 3; and that |
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the Senate concurred in House amendments on May 28, 2025, by the |
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following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 3. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that S.B. No. 36 passed the House, with |
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amendments, on May 24, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 83, |
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Nays 36, three present not voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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Approved: |
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______________________________ |
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Date |
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______________________________ |
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Governor |