83R9150 MEW-F By: King of Hemphill, et al. H.B. No. 2825 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the authority of a county to establish a centralized sex offender registration authority. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Article 62.0045, Code of Criminal Procedure, is amended to read as follows: Art. 62.0045. CENTRALIZED REGISTRATION AUTHORITY. (a) The commissioners court of [in] a county [with a population of 100,000 or more] may designate the office of the sheriff of the county or may, through interlocal agreement, designate the office of a chief of police of a municipality in that county to serve as a mandatory countywide registration location for persons subject to this chapter. (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a person [who is] subject to this chapter is required to perform the registration and verification requirements of Articles [shall register under Article] 62.051 and [or verify registration under Article] 62.058 and the change of address requirements of Article 62.055 only with respect to the centralized registration authority for the county, regardless of whether the person resides in any municipality located in that county. If the person resides in a municipality, and the local law enforcement authority in the municipality does not serve as the person's centralized registration authority, the centralized registration authority, not later than the third day after the date the person registers or verifies registration or changes address with that authority, shall provide to the local law enforcement authority in that municipality notice of the person's registration, [or] verification of registration, or change of address, as applicable, with the centralized registration authority. (c) This section does not affect a person's duty to register with secondary sex offender registries under this chapter, such as those described by Articles 62.059 and 62.153. SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.