By: Riddle, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Davis) H.B. No. 1120
(In the Senate - Received from the House April 4, 2013;
April 8, 2013, read first time and referred to Committee on
Criminal Justice; May 17, 2013, reported favorably by the
following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 17, 2013, sent to printer.)
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the duties of the Texas Crime Stoppers Council to
encourage individuals to report criminal activity related to
trafficking of persons.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 414.005, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 414.005. DUTIES. The council shall:
(1) encourage, advise, and assist in the creation of
crime stoppers organizations;
(2) foster the detection of crime and encourage
persons to report information about criminal acts;
(3) encourage news and other media to broadcast
reenactments and to inform the public of the functions of crime
stoppers organizations' operations and programs;
(4) promote the process of crime stoppers
organizations to forward information about criminal acts to the
appropriate law enforcement agencies;
(5) help law enforcement agencies detect and combat
crime by increasing the flow of information to and between law
enforcement agencies;
(6) create specialized programs targeted at detecting
specific crimes or types of crimes, including at least one program
that:
(A) encourages individuals to report sex
offenders who have failed to register under Chapter 62, Code of
Criminal Procedure; [and]
(B) encourages individuals to report criminal
activity relating to the trafficking of persons, as described under
Chapter 20A, Penal Code; and
(C) financially rewards each individual who
makes a report described by Paragraph (A) or (B) that leads or
substantially contributes to the arrest or apprehension:
(i) of a sex offender who has failed to
register under Chapter 62, Code of Criminal Procedure; or
(ii) of a person suspected of engaging in
conduct that constitutes an offense under Chapter 20A, Penal Code;
and
(7) encourage, advise, and assist crime stoppers
organizations in implementing any programs created under
Subdivision (6), including a program specifically described by
Subdivision (6).
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, 2013.
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