87R11460 EAS-F
By: Johnson S.B. No. 1806
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation of the Task Force on Prevention and
Investigation of Violent Crime.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. TASK FORCE ON PREVENTION AND INVESTIGATION OF
VIOLENT CRIME. (a) The Task Force on Prevention and Investigation
of Violent Crime is established to evaluate the policies and
practices of law enforcement agencies and other entities related to
the prevention and investigation of violent crime.
(b) The task force is composed of the following 13 members:
(1) nine members appointed by the governor as follows:
(A) three members representing communities in
this state with chronically high levels of violent crime;
(B) two members with policy expertise in criminal
justice and representing public and private institutions of higher
education in this state;
(C) two members representing law enforcement
agencies from large municipalities in this state experiencing
elevated levels of violent crime; and
(D) two members representing entities that
operate systems that are used by law enforcement agencies and other
governmental agencies to prevent or investigate violent crime in
large municipalities in this state experiencing elevated levels of
violent crime;
(2) two members of the senate appointed by the
lieutenant governor; and
(3) two members of the house of representatives
appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.
(c) The governor shall designate a member of the task force
to serve as the presiding officer.
(d) The task force shall:
(1) receive reports and testimony from individuals,
state and local governmental agencies, community-based
organizations, and other public and private organizations
regarding the effectiveness of strategies currently used to prevent
and investigate violent crime in this state;
(2) identify effective policies, procedures, or
programs currently used in this state or in other states to prevent
and investigate violent crime; and
(3) develop policy and other recommendations for state
agencies and the legislature to improve the prevention and
investigation of violent crime in this state.
(e) In developing recommendations under Subsection (d)(3)
of this section, the task force shall:
(1) consider methods to improve relationships and
increase trust between law enforcement agencies and communities
with higher than average violent crime rates to encourage victims
and witnesses to report crimes and cooperate in law enforcement
investigations;
(2) identify best practices in successful criminal
investigations, including best practices with respect to:
(A) evidence collection and handling;
(B) forensics;
(C) witness and victim support;
(D) digital media evidence processing, including
the collection and review of video; and
(E) any other area of criminal investigation that
significantly impacts the ability of a law enforcement agency to
identify a suspect and the ability of the attorney representing the
state to obtain a conviction;
(3) evaluate the costs and benefits of proactive law
enforcement strategies;
(4) evaluate the effectiveness of 9-1-1 dispatch
systems throughout the state in delivering responses to calls
related to violent crime;
(5) facilitate cooperation and the ability to share
information among law enforcement agencies and public and private
entities;
(6) encourage the collection, sharing, public
dissemination, and effective use of data by law enforcement
agencies to improve their operations;
(7) evaluate ways to improve law enforcement trainings
and procedures to facilitate successful criminal investigations;
and
(8) consider strategies designed to improve
employment-related incentives for peace officers, including
promotions, and to improve procedures for disciplining peace
officers more effectively, including strategies that will:
(A) reward officers who display exceptional
skill at discharging law enforcement functions; and
(B) appropriately discipline officers who engage
in misconduct.
(f) The Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas
shall provide reasonably necessary administrative and technical
support to the task force.
(g) Appointed members of the task force serve without
compensation and may not be reimbursed for travel or other expenses
incurred while conducting the business of the task force.
(h) The Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas
may accept gifts, grants, or donations on behalf of the task force
to carry out the task force's duties under this Act.
(i) Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the
task force.
SECTION 2. REPORT. Not later than December 1, 2022, the
task force shall prepare and submit a report on the task force's
activities to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of
the house of representatives, and each standing committee of the
legislature having primary jurisdiction over criminal justice
matters. The report must include:
(1) the findings and recommendations of the task
force, including recommendations described by Section 1(d)(3) of
this Act; and
(2) other relevant information that the task force
considers appropriate.
SECTION 3. APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS. As soon as practicable
after the effective date of this Act, the governor, lieutenant
governor, and speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint
the members of the task force as required by this Act.
SECTION 4. ABOLITION OF TASK FORCE. The task force is
abolished and this Act expires September 1, 2023.
SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. 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, 2021.