HBA-DMD S.B. 565 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 565 By: Jackson Public Safety 5/5/1999 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, there is no unit within the Department of Public Safety (department) that specifically monitors the compliance of sex offenders as designated in statute. As of February 1999, there have been 16,404 sex offenders registered with the Texas Sex Offender registration and notification program. S.B. 565 creates a sex offender compliance unit in the department. This bill requires the sex offender compliance unit to investigate and arrest individuals determined to have committed a sexually violent offense. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking authority is expressly delegated to the Department of Public Safety in SECTION 1 (Section 411.0098, Government Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 411, Government Code, by adding Section 411.0098, as follows: Sec. 411.0098. SEX OFFENDER COMPLIANCE UNIT. Requires the public safety director to create a sex offender compliance unit to be operated by the Department of Public Safety (department). Requires the sex offender compliance unit to investigate and arrest individuals determined to have committed a sexually violent offense, as defined by Article 62.01 (Definitions), Code of Criminal Procedure. Authorizes the legislature to appropriate funds to the department from the fugitive apprehension account for the purpose of paying the costs to the department of implementing this section. Authorizes the department to adopt rules as necessary to implement this section. SECTION 2.Effective date: September 1, 1999, except as provided by Section 3 of this Act. SECTION 3.Provides that this Act takes effect only if a specific appropriation for the implementation of this Act is provided in H.B. No. 1 (General Appropriations Act), Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular Session, 1999. Provides that if no specific appropriation is provided in H.B. No. 1, this Act has no effect. SECTION 4.Emergency clause.