HBA-TBM H.B. 2239 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2239
By: Salinas
Public Safety
3/28/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The Texas Sex Offender Registration Program imposes requirements on the
Department of Public Safety (DPS), local law enforcement authorities
(authorities), and persons required by law to register as sex offenders
(offender).  DPS is required to maintain a central sex offender database
containing identification information about offenders.  An offender is
required to renew a driver's license or identification card annually and to
register with authorities.  Authorities are required to provide all sex
offender registration information to DPS.  Currently, there is no standard
format for photo images that authorities provide to DPS with sex offender
registration information.  Consequently, some authorities send photos to
DPS that are not usable.  House Bill 2239 requires DPS to use photo images
obtained from driver's license or identification card renewals by offenders
to maintain the database.   

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 2239 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure and Transportation
Code relating to the use of photographs on the state's sex offender
database.  The bill requires the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to use
the photo image obtained through the driver's license or identification
card renewal process for the purpose of posting a photograph of a sex
offender on the central sex offender database (database), including the
database accessible via DPS's Internet website.  The bill provides that the
database be updated annually or as new photo images are obtained through
driver's license or identification card renewals.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

The Act takes effect on the 91st day after adjournment.