By: Williams S.B. No. 1702
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of a task force to enhance the
prosecution and tracking of money laundering in this state.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 402, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 402.038 to read as follows:
Sec. 402.038. MONEY LAUNDERING TASK FORCE. (a) In this
section:
(1) "Money laundering" includes conduct prohibited
under Section 34.02, Penal Code.
(2) "Task force" means the money laundering task
force.
(b) The office of the attorney general shall establish the
task force to form a strategic partnership between state, federal,
and local law enforcement agencies to better enable law enforcement
and state agencies to take a proactive stance towards tracking and
prosecuting money laundering and the perpetrators of money
laundering statewide.
(c) The task force consists of the following persons or
their appointees:
(1) the attorney general;
(2) the public safety director of the Department of
Public Safety;
(3) the banking commissioner;
(4) the credit union commissioner;
(5) the securities commissioner;
(6) the savings and mortgage lending commissioner; and
(7) the comptroller.
(d) The task force may request assistance from the Federal
Bureau of Investigation, United States Secret Service, United
States Department of Justice, United States Department of Homeland
Security, Internal Revenue Service, United States Department of the
Treasury, United States Postal Service, and any other federal
agency the task force determines to be appropriate.
(e) The task force shall focus its efforts in:
(1) sharing information and resources; and
(2) successfully enforcing administrative and
criminal actions against perpetrators of money laundering.
(f) The agencies of the persons listed in Subsection (c) may
share confidential information or information to which access is
otherwise restricted by law with one or more of the other agencies
of the persons listed in Subsection (c) for investigative purposes
described by Subsection (b). Except as provided by this
subsection, confidential information that is shared under this
subsection remains confidential and legal restrictions on access to
the information apply.
(g) The task force shall submit to the governor, lieutenant
governor, and speaker of the house of representatives an annual
report that:
(1) describes the progress of each agency of the
persons listed in Subsection (c) in accomplishing the purposes
described by Subsection (b); and
(2) includes recommendations for strengthening state
and local efforts to prevent money laundering.
(h) The office of the attorney general shall oversee the
administration of the task force. The office of the attorney
general shall provide the necessary facilities to assist the task
force in performing its duties. Each agency of the persons listed
in Subsection (c) shall provide the necessary staff to assist the
task force in performing its duties.
(i) The agencies of the persons listed in Subsection (c) may
solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations of money, services,
or property on behalf of the state for disbursement to any state
agency or local law enforcement agency to aid the task force in the
investigation and prosecution of money laundering in this state.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2011.