By: Lucio S.B. No. 1464
(In the Senate - Filed March 12, 2015; March 19, 2015, read
first time and referred to Subcommittee on Border Security;
April 14, 2015, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
Substitute to Committee on Veteran Affairs and Military
Installations; April 20, 2015, reported adversely, with favorable
Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0;
April 20, 2015, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1464 By: Lucio
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation of the transnational and organized crime
division within the office of the attorney general.
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. TRANSNATIONAL AND ORGANIZED CRIME DIVISION.
(a) The office of the attorney general shall establish a
transnational and organized crime division.
(b) To address matters related to border security and
organized crime, the transnational and organized crime division
shall:
(1) establish within the division a prosecution unit
to provide critical assistance to local prosecutors;
(2) using existing funds, establish within the
division a trafficking of persons unit to:
(A) assist local law enforcement agencies and
local prosecutors in investigating and prosecuting trafficking of
persons and related crimes; and
(B) work with the appropriate local and state
agencies to identify victims of trafficking of persons and to
provide the types of assistance available for those victims under
Chapter 56, Code of Criminal Procedure; and
(3) develop initiatives to provide greater state
assistance, support, and coordination among state law enforcement
agencies, local law enforcement agencies, and local prosecutors.
(c) Assistance provided by the division under this section
may include the assistance authorized under Section 402.028.
SECTION 2. Not later than December 1, 2015, the office of
the attorney general shall establish the transnational and
organized crime division as required by Section 402.038, Government
Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
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