Bill Text: TX HB1383 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to establishing a statewide electronic tracking system for evidence of a sex offense.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-03-14 - Left pending in committee [HB1383 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HB1383-Introduced.html
85R5732 LHC-D | ||
By: Alvarado | H.B. No. 1383 |
|
||
|
||
relating to establishing a statewide electronic tracking system for | ||
evidence of a sex offense. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. The heading to Subchapter B, Chapter 420, | ||
Government Code, is amended to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER B. COLLECTION, [ |
||
EVIDENCE OF SEX OFFENSE | ||
SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 420, Government Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 420.034 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 420.034. STATEWIDE ELECTRONIC TRACKING SYSTEM. (a) | ||
The department, in consultation with a forensic science center | ||
located in a county that has a population of 3.3 million or more, | ||
shall develop and implement a statewide electronic tracking system | ||
for evidence collected in relation to a sexual assault or other sex | ||
offense. | ||
(b) The tracking system must: | ||
(1) track the location and status of each item of | ||
evidence through the criminal justice process, including the | ||
initial collection of items of evidence in a forensic medical | ||
examination performed at a health care facility, receipt and | ||
storage of the item of evidence at a law enforcement agency, receipt | ||
and analysis of the item of evidence at an accredited crime | ||
laboratory, and storage and destruction of the item of evidence | ||
after the item is analyzed; | ||
(2) allow a health care facility performing a forensic | ||
medical examination of a survivor, law enforcement agency, | ||
accredited crime laboratory, prosecutor, or other entity providing | ||
a chain of custody for an item of evidence to update and track the | ||
status and location of the item; and | ||
(3) allow a survivor to anonymously track or receive | ||
updates regarding the status and location of each item of evidence | ||
collected in relation to the offense. | ||
(c) The department shall require participation in the | ||
tracking system by any entity that collects evidence of a sexual | ||
assault or other sex offense or investigates or prosecutes a sexual | ||
assault or other sex offense for which evidence has been collected. | ||
(d) Records entered into the tracking system are | ||
confidential and are not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552. | ||
Records relating to evidence tracked under the system may be | ||
accessed only by: | ||
(1) the survivor from whom the evidence was collected; | ||
or | ||
(2) an employee of an entity described by Subsection | ||
(c), for purposes of updating or tracking the status or location of | ||
an item of evidence. | ||
SECTION 3. Not later than September 1, 2019, the Department | ||
of Public Safety of the State of Texas shall require all entities | ||
described by Section 420.034(c), Government Code, as added by this | ||
Act, to participate in the statewide electronic tracking system | ||
established under that section. | ||
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |