House Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs Committee
The committee convened to discuss several major legislative bills, focusing particularly on enhancing law enforcement's ability to respond to missing children and addressing increasing border security concerns. One significant bill discussed was HB908, which mandates that law enforcement agencies report missing children to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children within a strict time frame. Testimonies primarily supported the urgency and need for swift action regarding missing children, with members underscoring the imperative to streamline procedures to ensure every case is handled urgently. Additionally, discussions on HB674 centered around adjusting the penalty structure for criminal trespass incidents related to avoiding law enforcement checkpoints, seen as a crucial measure to deter illegal crossings and enhance border security.
Relating to the carrying of weapons by community supervision and corrections department officers, juvenile probation officers, and certain retired law enforcement officers and to criminal liability for taking a weapon from certain of those officers.
Relating to the prosecution and punishment of certain criminal offenses committed in the course of or for the purpose of avoiding certain law enforcement checkpoints or evading an arrest or detention; increasing criminal penalties.