Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

      
		By: Geren
            H.B. No. 61
         
               A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
            
               AN ACT
            
            relating to measures to address public safety threats in this state 
         
            presented by transnational criminal activity, including by 
         
            establishing a Texas Border Force, and to compensate persons 
         
            affected by those threats; increasing criminal penalties; creating 
         
            criminal offenses.
         
                   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         
            ARTICLE 1. TEXAS BORDER FORCE; DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY BORDER 
         
            SECURITY FUNCTIONS
         
                   SECTION 1.01.  Section 411.0043, Government Code, is amended 
         
            by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c) to read as 
         
            follows:
         
                   (a)  The commission shall implement a policy requiring the 
         
            department to use appropriate technological solutions to improve 
         
            the department's ability to perform its functions. The policy must 
         
            ensure that:
         
                         (1)  the public is able to interact with the department 
         
            on the Internet; and
         
                         (2)  the department's capability to conduct border 
         
            security operations and similar functions is not impeded by the use 
         
            of obsolete or outdated technologies.
         
                   (c)  The department shall periodically review emerging 
         
            technologies that may be deployed for border security operations, 
         
            including technologies and equipment described by Section 
         
            411.0285, to ensure the department consistently adopts innovative 
         
            technologies and solutions for those operations.
         
                   SECTION 1.02.  Chapter 411, Government Code, is amended by 
         
            adding Subchapter B-2 to read as follows:
         
            SUBCHAPTER B-2. TEXAS BORDER FORCE
         
                   Sec. 411.0281.  DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "border 
         
            force" means the Texas Border Force established under this 
         
            subchapter.
         
                   Sec. 411.0282.  TEXAS BORDER FORCE; CHIEF.  (a)  The Texas 
         
            Border Force is established in the Texas Rangers division of the 
         
            department.
         
                   (b)  The chief of the Texas Rangers is the chief of the border 
         
            force.
         
                   Sec. 411.0283.  BORDER OPERATIONS. The border force may 
         
            conduct border security operations along the Texas-Mexico border, 
         
            including:
         
                         (1)  law enforcement operations;
         
                         (2)  intelligence gathering, analysis, and 
         
            dissemination;
         
                         (3)  coordination and command of state agencies 
         
            conducting border security operations;
         
                         (4)  surveillance and detection of criminal activity, 
         
            including improper entry of individuals from foreign nations and 
         
            the smuggling of individuals and controlled substances, using 
         
            cameras, unmanned aircraft, and other technologies;
         
                         (5)  interdiction of individuals committing criminal 
         
            activity described by Subdivision (4);
         
                         (6)  coordination of local, state, and federal agencies 
         
            conducting border security operations, including tactical 
         
            operations such as special response teams, brush teams, and special 
         
            weapons and tactics teams; and
         
                         (7)  training and education programs for the 
         
            professional development of employees and agency partners carrying 
         
            out border security operations.
         
                   Sec. 411.0284.  ASSIGNMENT OF TEXAS MILITARY FORCES SERVICE 
         
            MEMBERS.  (a)  In this section, "Texas military forces" has the 
         
            meaning assigned by Section 437.001.
         
                   (b)  The department, at the request of the chief of the 
         
            border force, may enter into a written agreement with the Texas 
         
            Military Department for the assignment of service members of the 
         
            Texas military forces to the border force. The agreement may 
         
            provide for reimbursement by the department for hiring, training, 
         
            salary, and employee benefit costs incurred by the Texas military 
         
            forces in connection with service members assigned to the border 
         
            force.
         
                   Sec. 411.0285.  PURCHASE AND DEPLOYMENT OF CERTAIN 
         
            TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT.  (a)  The department, at the request of 
         
            the chief of the border force, shall purchase and deploy technology 
         
            and equipment to enhance the border force's ability to detect and 
         
            suppress criminal activity alo
Statutes affected: 
Introduced: Government Code 411.0043, Penal Code 20.05, Penal Code 20.06, Civil Practice and Remedies Code 125.061, Civil Practice and Remedies Code 125.062, Civil Practice and Remedies Code 125.063, Civil Practice and Remedies Code 125.064, Civil Practice and Remedies Code 125.065, Civil Practice and Remedies Code 125.069, Civil Practice and Remedies Code 125.070, Penal Code 71.01, Penal Code 71.02, Penal Code 71.022, Penal Code 71.023, Government Code 772.011 (Penal Code 71, Government Code 411, Penal Code 20, Civil Practice and Remedies Code 125, Government Code 772)



	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to measures to address public safety threats in this state
	presented by transnational criminal activity, including by
	establishing a Texas Border Force, and to compensate persons
	affected by those threats; increasing criminal penalties; creating
	criminal offenses.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	ARTICLE 1. TEXAS BORDER FORCE; DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY BORDER
	SECURITY FUNCTIONS
	SECTION 1.01. Section 411.0043, Government Code, is amended
	by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c) to read as
	follows:
	(a) The commission shall implement a policy requiring the
	department to use appropriate technological solutions to improve
	the department's ability to perform its functions. The policy must
	ensure that:
	(1) the public is able to interact with the department
	on the Internet; and
	(2) the department's capability to conduct border
	security operations and similar functions is not impeded by the use
	of obsolete or outdated technologies.
	(c) The department shall periodically review emerging
	technologies that may be deployed for border security operations,
	including technologies and equipment described by Section
	411.0285, to ensure the department consistently adopts innovative
	technologies and solutions for those operations.
	SECTION 1.02. Chapter 411, Government Code, is amended by
	adding Subchapter B-2 to read as follows:
	SUBCHAPTER B-2. TEXAS BORDER FORCE
	Sec. 411.0281. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "border
	force" means the Texas Border Force established under this
	subchapter.
	Sec. 411.0282. TEXAS BORDER FORCE; CHIEF. (a) The Texas
	Border Force is established in the Texas Rangers division of the
	department.
	(b) The chief of the Texas Rangers is the chief of the border
	force.
	Sec. 411.0283. BORDER OPERATIONS. The border force may
	conduct border security operations along the Texas-Mexico border,
	including:
	(1) law enforcement operations;
	(2) intelligence gathering, analysis, and
	dissemination;
	(3) coordination and command of state agencies
	conducting border security operations;
	(4) surveillance and detection of criminal activity,
	including improper entry of individuals from foreign nations and
	the smuggling of individuals and controlled substances, using
	cameras, unmanned aircraft, and other technologies;
	(5) interdiction of individuals committing criminal
	activity described by Subdivision (4);
	(6) coordination of local, state, and federal agencies
	conducting border security operations, including tactical
	operations such as special response teams, brush teams, and special
	weapons and tactics teams; and
	(7) training and education programs for the
	professional development of employees and agency partners carrying
	out border security operations.
	Sec. 411.0284. ASSIGNMENT OF TEXAS MILITARY FORCES SERVICE
	MEMBERS. (a) In this section, "Texas military forces" has the
	meaning assigned by Section 437.001.
	(b) The department, at the request of the chief of the
	border force, may enter into a written agreement with the Texas
	Military Department for the assignment of service members of the
	Texas military forces to the border force. The agreement may
	provide for reimbursement by the department for hiring, training,
	salary, and employee benefit costs incurred by the Texas military
	forces in connection with service members assigned to the border
	force.
	Sec. 411.0285. PURCHASE AND DEPLOYMENT OF CERTAIN
	TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT. (a) The department, at the request of
	the chief of the border force, shall purchase and deploy technology
	and equipment to enhance the border force's ability to detect and
	suppress criminal activity alo Statutes affected: Introduced: Government Code 411.0043, Penal Code 20.05, Penal Code 20.06, Civil Practice and Remedies Code 125.061, Civil Practice and Remedies Code 125.062, Civil Practice and Remedies Code 125.063, Civil Practice and Remedies Code 125.064, Civil Practice and Remedies Code 125.065, Civil Practice and Remedies Code 125.069, Civil Practice and Remedies Code 125.070, Penal Code 71.01, Penal Code 71.02, Penal Code 71.022, Penal Code 71.023, Government Code 772.011 (Penal Code 71, Government Code 411, Penal Code 20, Civil Practice and Remedies Code 125, Government Code 772)