H.B. No. 3690
AN ACT
relating to the Texas Crime Stoppers Council.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 414.004, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 414.004. DIRECTOR. The [council and the] executive
director of the criminal justice division of the governor's office,
with input from the council, shall designate a person to serve as
director. [The director must be approved by the governor.] The
executive director [council] shall consult with the council to
define the director's authority and responsibilities.
SECTION 2. Section 414.012, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 414.012. STATEWIDE CRIME REPORTING SYSTEMS [TOLL-FREE
TELEPHONE SERVICE]. The council shall establish a free statewide
[and operate a toll-free] telephone service and other appropriate
systems to allow information about criminal acts to be reported to
the council and shall make the telephone service and other
reporting systems accessible at all times to persons residing in
areas of the state not served by a crime stoppers organization [for
reporting to the council information about criminal acts]. [The
toll-free service must be available between the hours of 5 p.m. and
8 a.m. Monday through Thursday and from 5 p.m. Friday until 8 a.m.
Monday.] The council shall forward the information received to
appropriate law enforcement agencies or crime stoppers
organization.
SECTION 3. Article 102.013(a), Code of Criminal Procedure,
is amended to read as follows:
(a) The legislature shall appropriate funds from the crime
stoppers assistance account to the Criminal Justice Division of the
Governor's Office. The Criminal Justice Division may use 10
percent of the funds for the operation of the free
statewide
[toll-free] telephone service or other appropriate systems for the
reporting of crime under Section 414.012, Government Code, and
shall distribute the remainder of the funds only to crime stoppers
organizations. The Criminal Justice Division may adopt a budget
and rules to implement the distribution of these funds.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 3690 was passed by the House on May 4,
2017, by the following vote: Yeas 142, Nays 1, 2 present, not
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
No. 3690 on May 25, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 144, Nays 1,
2 present, not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 3690 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 23, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays
0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date
__________________
Governor