| 1 | 1 | | 88R10800 SCP-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Blanco, et al. S.B. No. 2218 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to a study on the use of fiber-optic technology for the |
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| 8 | 8 | | purpose of border security. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. DEFINITIONS. In this Act: |
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| 11 | 11 | | (1) "Department" means the Department of Public Safety |
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| 12 | 12 | | of the State of Texas. |
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| 13 | 13 | | (2) "State agency" means a board, commission, |
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| 14 | 14 | | department, office, or other agency in the executive branch of |
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| 15 | 15 | | state government that was created by the constitution or a statute |
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| 16 | 16 | | of this state, including an institution of higher education as |
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| 17 | 17 | | defined by Section 61.003, Education Code. |
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| 18 | 18 | | SECTION 2. STUDY. (a) The department shall conduct a study |
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| 19 | 19 | | on the feasibility of using fiber-optic technology along the |
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| 20 | 20 | | Texas-Mexico border for the purposes of border security. The study |
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| 21 | 21 | | must consider: |
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| 22 | 22 | | (1) the costs and methods of implementing fiber-optic |
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| 23 | 23 | | technology, including installation and maintenance; |
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| 24 | 24 | | (2) the effectiveness of fiber-optic technology as a |
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| 25 | 25 | | border security tool; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | (3) the possibility of contracting with one or more |
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| 27 | 27 | | private entities to implement a fiber-optic border security |
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| 28 | 28 | | program. |
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| 29 | 29 | | (b) The department may collaborate with any state agency or |
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| 30 | 30 | | council of government the department determines relevant to conduct |
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| 31 | 31 | | the study. |
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| 32 | 32 | | SECTION 3. REPORT. Not later than September 1, 2024, the |
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| 33 | 33 | | department shall submit to the governor, lieutenant governor, |
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| 34 | 34 | | speaker of the house of representatives, and each standing |
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| 35 | 35 | | committee of the legislature having primary jurisdiction over |
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| 36 | 36 | | border security or fiber-optic technology a report on the results |
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| 37 | 37 | | of the study conducted under Section 2 of this Act. The report must |
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| 38 | 38 | | include: |
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| 39 | 39 | | (1) an assessment of the feasibility of implementing |
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| 40 | 40 | | fiber-optic technology along the Texas-Mexico border as a border |
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| 41 | 41 | | security tool, including: |
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| 42 | 42 | | (A) costs related to implementing fiber-optic |
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| 43 | 43 | | technology, including installation and maintenance; |
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| 44 | 44 | | (B) the effectiveness of fiber-optic technology |
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| 45 | 45 | | in differentiating between animals, individuals, vehicles, or |
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| 46 | 46 | | other animate or inanimate objects crossing the border; and |
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| 47 | 47 | | (C) barriers or advantages to specific methods of |
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| 48 | 48 | | installation or maintenance of fiber-optic technology along the |
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| 49 | 49 | | Texas-Mexico border; and |
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| 50 | 50 | | (2) a recommendation by the department on whether: |
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| 51 | 51 | | (A) this state should implement a border security |
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| 52 | 52 | | program using fiber-optic technology; and |
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| 53 | 53 | | (B) a fiber-optic border security program would |
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| 54 | 54 | | best be managed by a state agency or one or more private entities |
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| 55 | 55 | | through a contract. |
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| 56 | 56 | | SECTION 4. EXPIRATION. This Act expires September 1, 2025. |
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| 57 | 57 | | SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September |
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| 58 | 58 | | 1, 2023. |
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