HBA-MPM H.B. 354 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 354 By: Allen Public Safety 3/13/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, Texas does not maintain a public information system that provides information to the public regarding felony fugitives. Many times tips from the general public have led law enforcement officials to apprehend fugitives who might otherwise remain at large. House Bill 354 requires the Department of Public Safety to establish a free, online database of all felony fugitives in Texas that is accessible to the public. 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 354 amends the Government Code to entitle any person to obtain from the Department of Public Safety (DPS) information relating to each fugitive from justice for whom a felony arrest warrant has been issued, other than information DPS determines would hinder efforts to apprehend or prosecute the fugitive. The bill requires DPS to make information relating to fugitives from justice available to the public in a nocost, online computer database format and to make such information available no later than January 1, 2002. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2001.