|   | 
      
      
        |   | 
      
      
        | 
           		
			 | 
        
          A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
         | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
        
          AN ACT
         | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
        relating to a study on the effectiveness of Operation Strong  | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
        Safety. | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
               BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
               SECTION 1.  STUDY OF OPERATION STRONG SAFETY.  The Homeland  | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
        Security Council shall conduct a study to evaluate the  | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
        effectiveness of Operation Strong Safety. | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
               SECTION 2.  SCOPE OF STUDY.  (a) The study must: | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
                     (1)  evaluate how effectively state financial  | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
        resources were used to address the threat of drug cartel crime along  | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
        the international border during the operation; | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
                     (2)  evaluate how effectively state financial  | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
        resources are currently being used to address the threat of drug  | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
        cartel crime along the international border; | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
                     (3)  compare the estimated amount of controlled  | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
        substances illegally transported across the border during  | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
        Operation Strong Safety with the amount of controlled substances  | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
        illegally transported across the border during a comparable period  | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
        immediately before the date the operation began; and | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
                     (4)  compare the estimated number of firearms illegally  | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
        transported across the border during Operation Strong Safety with  | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
        the estimated number of firearms illegally transported across the  | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
        border during a comparable period immediately before the date the  | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
        operation began. | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
               (b)  In conducting the study, the Homeland Security Council  | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
        shall solicit input from and collaborate with: | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
                     (1)  local law enforcement agencies and officials,  | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
        including county sheriffs' departments and local police  | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
        departments, on the best practices for improving state efforts to  | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
        combat drug and firearms trafficking; and | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
                     (2)  to the extent feasible, the United States Border  | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
        Patrol. | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
               SECTION 3.  REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS.  (a)  The Homeland  | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
        Security Council shall issue a written report to the governor, the  | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
        lieutenant governor, and the speaker of the house of  | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
        representatives that includes the council's findings. | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
               (b)  The report must be issued not later than November 30,  | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
        2016. | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
               SECTION 4.  EXPIRATION.  This Act expires December 1, 2016. | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
               SECTION 5.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This Act takes effect September  | 
      
      
        | 
           
			 | 
        1, 2015. |