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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to certain protective orders and magistrate's orders for |
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emergency protection. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Article 17.292, Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
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amended by amending Subsections (a), (c), (g), (h), and (k) and |
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adding Subsections (h-1), (i-1), and (k-1) to read as follows: |
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(a) At a defendant's appearance before a magistrate after |
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arrest for an offense involving family violence or an offense under |
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Section 20A.02, 20A.03, 22.011, 22.021, or 42.072, Penal Code, the |
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magistrate may issue an order for emergency protection on the |
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magistrate's own motion or on the request of: |
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(1) the victim of the offense; |
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(2) the guardian of the victim; |
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(3) a peace officer; or |
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(4) the attorney representing the state. |
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(c) The magistrate in the order for emergency protection may |
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prohibit the arrested party from: |
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(1) committing: |
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(A) family violence or an assault on the person |
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protected under the order; or |
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(B) an act in furtherance of an offense under |
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Section 20A.02 or 42.072, Penal Code; |
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(2) communicating: |
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(A) directly with a member of the family or |
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household or with the person protected under the order in a |
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threatening or harassing manner; or |
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(B) a threat through any person to a member of the |
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family or household or to the person protected under the order; |
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(3) going to or near: |
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(A) the residence, place of employment, or |
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business of a member of the family or household or of the person |
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protected under the order; or |
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(B) the residence, child care facility, or school |
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where a child protected under the order resides or attends; or |
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(4) possessing a firearm, unless the person is a peace |
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officer, as defined by Section 1.07, Penal Code, actively engaged |
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in employment as a sworn, full-time paid employee of a state agency |
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or political subdivision. |
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(g) An order for emergency protection issued under this |
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article must contain the following statements printed in bold-face |
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type or in capital letters: |
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"A VIOLATION OF THIS ORDER BY COMMISSION OF AN ACT PROHIBITED |
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BY THE ORDER MAY BE PUNISHABLE BY A FINE OF AS MUCH AS $4,000 OR BY |
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CONFINEMENT IN JAIL FOR AS LONG AS ONE YEAR OR BY BOTH. AN ACT THAT |
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RESULTS IN FAMILY VIOLENCE OR A STALKING OR TRAFFICKING OFFENSE MAY |
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BE PROSECUTED AS A SEPARATE MISDEMEANOR OR FELONY OFFENSE, AS |
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APPLICABLE. IF THE ACT IS PROSECUTED AS A SEPARATE FELONY OFFENSE, |
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IT IS PUNISHABLE BY CONFINEMENT IN PRISON FOR AT LEAST TWO YEARS. |
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THE POSSESSION OF A FIREARM BY A PERSON, OTHER THAN A PEACE OFFICER, |
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AS DEFINED BY SECTION 1.07, PENAL CODE, ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN |
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EMPLOYMENT AS A SWORN, FULL-TIME PAID EMPLOYEE OF A STATE AGENCY OR |
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POLITICAL SUBDIVISION, WHO IS SUBJECT TO THIS ORDER MAY BE |
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PROSECUTED AS A SEPARATE OFFENSE PUNISHABLE BY CONFINEMENT OR |
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IMPRISONMENT. |
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"NO PERSON, INCLUDING A PERSON WHO IS PROTECTED BY THIS |
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ORDER, MAY GIVE PERMISSION TO ANYONE TO IGNORE OR VIOLATE ANY |
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PROVISION OF THIS ORDER. DURING THE TIME IN WHICH THIS ORDER IS |
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VALID, EVERY PROVISION OF THIS ORDER IS IN FULL FORCE AND EFFECT |
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UNLESS A COURT CHANGES THE ORDER." |
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(h) As soon as possible but not later than the next business |
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day after the date the [The] magistrate issues [issuing] an order |
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for emergency protection under this article, the magistrate shall |
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send a copy of the order to the chief of police in the municipality |
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where the member of the family or household or individual protected |
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by the order resides, if the person resides in a municipality, or to |
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the sheriff of the county where the person resides, if the person |
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does not reside in a municipality. If the victim of the offense is |
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not present when the order is issued, the magistrate issuing the |
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order shall order an appropriate peace officer to make a good faith |
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effort to notify, within 24 hours, the victim that the order has |
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been issued by calling the victim's residence and place of |
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employment. The clerk of the court shall send a copy of the order to |
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the victim at the victim's last known address as soon as possible |
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but not later than the next business day after the date the order is |
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issued. |
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(h-1) A magistrate or clerk of the court may delay sending a |
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copy of the order under Subsection (h) only if the magistrate or |
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clerk lacks information necessary to ensure service and |
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enforcement. |
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(i-1) The copy of the order and any related information may |
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be sent under Subsection (h) or (i) electronically or in another |
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manner that can be accessed by the recipient. |
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(k) To ensure that an officer responding to a call is aware |
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of the existence and terms of an order for emergency protection |
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issued under this article, not later than the third business day |
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after the date of receipt of the copy of the order by the applicable |
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law enforcement agency with jurisdiction over the municipality or |
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county in which the victim resides, the law enforcement agency |
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shall enter the information required under Section 411.042(b)(6), |
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Government Code, into the statewide law enforcement information |
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system maintained by the Department of Public Safety [each
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municipal police department and sheriff shall establish a procedure
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within the department or office to provide adequate information or
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access to information for peace officers of the names of persons
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protected by an order for emergency protection issued under this
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article and of persons to whom the order is directed. The police
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department or sheriff may enter an order for emergency protection
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issued under this article in the department's or office's record of
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outstanding warrants as notice that the order has been issued and is
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in effect]. |
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(k-1) A law enforcement agency may delay entering the |
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information required under Subsection (k) only if the agency lacks |
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information necessary to ensure service and enforcement. |
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SECTION 2. Article 17.292(m), Code of Criminal Procedure, |
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is amended by adding Subdivision (3) to read as follows: |
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(3) "Business day" means a day other than a Saturday, |
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Sunday, or state or national holiday. |
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SECTION 3. Section 85.042, Family Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a) and (d) and adding Subsections (f), (g), |
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and (h) to read as follows: |
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(a) Not later than the next business day after the date [The
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clerk of] the court issues [issuing] an original or modified |
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protective order under this subtitle, the clerk of the court shall |
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send a copy of the order, along with the information provided by the |
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applicant or the applicant's attorney that is required under |
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Section 411.042(b)(6), Government Code, to: |
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(1) the chief of police of the municipality in which |
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the person protected by the order resides, if the person resides in |
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a municipality; |
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(2) the appropriate constable and the sheriff of the |
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county in which the person resides, if the person does not reside in |
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a municipality; and |
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(3) the Title IV-D agency, if the application for the |
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protective order indicates that the applicant is receiving services |
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from the Title IV-D agency. |
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(d) The applicant or the applicant's attorney shall provide |
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to the clerk of the court: |
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(1) the name and address of each law enforcement |
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agency, child-care facility, school, and other individual or entity |
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to which the clerk is required to send [mail] a copy of the order |
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under this section; and |
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(2) any other information required under Section |
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411.042(b)(6), Government Code. |
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(f) A clerk of the court may transmit the order and any |
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related information electronically or in another manner that can be |
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accessed by the recipient. |
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(g) A clerk of the court may delay sending a copy of the |
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order under Subsection (a) only if the clerk lacks information |
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necessary to ensure service and enforcement. |
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(h) In this section, "business day" means a day other than a |
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Saturday, Sunday, or state or national holiday. |
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SECTION 4. Section 86.0011, Family Code, is amended to read |
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as follows: |
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Sec. 86.0011. DUTY TO ENTER INFORMATION INTO STATEWIDE LAW |
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ENFORCEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM. (a) On receipt of an original or |
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modified protective order from the clerk of the issuing court, a law |
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enforcement agency shall immediately, but not later than the third |
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business [10th] day after the date the order is received, enter the |
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information required by Section 411.042(b)(6), Government Code, |
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into the statewide law enforcement information system maintained by |
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the Department of Public Safety. |
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(b) In this section, "business day" means a day other than a |
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Saturday, Sunday, or state or national holiday. |
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SECTION 5. Section 411.042(b), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b) The bureau of identification and records shall: |
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(1) procure and file for record photographs, pictures, |
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descriptions, fingerprints, measurements, and other pertinent |
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information of all persons arrested for or charged with a criminal |
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offense or convicted of a criminal offense, regardless of whether |
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the conviction is probated; |
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(2) collect information concerning the number and |
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nature of offenses reported or known to have been committed in the |
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state and the legal steps taken in connection with the offenses, and |
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other information useful in the study of crime and the |
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administration of justice, including information that enables the |
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bureau to create a statistical breakdown of: |
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(A) offenses in which family violence was |
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involved; |
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(B) offenses under Sections 22.011 and 22.021, |
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Penal Code; and |
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(C) offenses under Sections 20A.02 and 43.05, |
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Penal Code; |
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(3) make ballistic tests of bullets and firearms and |
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chemical analyses of bloodstains, cloth, materials, and other |
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substances for law enforcement officers of the state; |
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(4) cooperate with identification and crime records |
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bureaus in other states and the United States Department of |
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Justice; |
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(5) maintain a list of all previous background checks |
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for applicants for any position regulated under Chapter 1702, |
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Occupations Code, who have undergone a criminal history background |
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check under Section 411.119, if the check indicates a Class B |
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misdemeanor or equivalent offense or a greater offense; |
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(6) collect information concerning the number and |
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nature of protective orders and magistrate's orders of emergency |
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protection and all other pertinent information about all persons |
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subject to [on] active [protective] orders, including pertinent |
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information about persons subject to conditions of bond imposed for |
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the protection of the victim in any family violence, sexual assault |
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or abuse, or stalking case. Information in the law enforcement |
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information system relating to an active [protective] order shall |
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include: |
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(A) the name, sex, race, date of birth, personal |
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descriptors, address, and county of residence of the person to whom |
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the order is directed; |
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(B) any known identifying number of the person to |
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whom the order is directed, including the person's social security |
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number or driver's license number; |
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(C) the name and county of residence of the |
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person protected by the order; |
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(D) the residence address and place of employment |
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or business of the person protected by the order, unless that |
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information is excluded from the order under Section 85.007, Family |
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Code, or Article 17.292(e), Code of Criminal Procedure; |
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(E) the child-care facility or school where a |
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child protected by the order normally resides or which the child |
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normally attends, unless that information is excluded from the |
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order under Section 85.007, Family Code, or Article 17.292(e), Code |
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of Criminal Procedure; |
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(F) the relationship or former relationship |
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between the person who is protected by the order and the person to |
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whom the order is directed; |
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(G) the conditions of bond imposed on the person |
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to whom the order is directed, if any, for the protection of a |
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victim in any family violence, sexual assault or abuse, or stalking |
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case; [and] |
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(H) any minimum distance the person subject to |
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the order is required to maintain from the protected places or |
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persons; and |
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(I) the date the order expires; |
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(7) grant access to criminal history record |
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information in the manner authorized under Subchapter F; |
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(8) collect and disseminate information regarding |
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offenders with mental impairments in compliance with Chapter 614, |
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Health and Safety Code; and |
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(9) record data and maintain a state database for a |
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computerized criminal history record system and computerized |
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juvenile justice information system that serves: |
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(A) as the record creation point for criminal |
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history record information and juvenile justice information |
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maintained by the state; and |
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(B) as the control terminal for the entry of |
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records, in accordance with federal law and regulations, federal |
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executive orders, and federal policy, into the federal database |
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maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. |
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SECTION 6. The changes in law made by this Act apply to a |
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protective order or magistrate's order of emergency protection |
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issued on or after the effective date of this Act, regardless of |
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whether the conduct on which the order is based occurred before, on, |
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or after that date. |
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SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |