Bill Text: TX HB3556 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to a local area activation of the alert system for certain missing children.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2023-06-13 - Effective immediately [HB3556 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB3556-Enrolled.html
| H.B. No. 3556 | ||
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| relating to a local area activation of the alert system for certain | ||
| missing children. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter L, Chapter 411, Government Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 411.3555 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 411.3555. LOCAL AREA ACTIVATION FOR CERTAIN MISSING | ||
| CHILDREN. On the request of a local law enforcement agency that | ||
| knows a child is missing but has not verified the criteria described | ||
| by Section 411.355(a), and if the chief law enforcement officer of | ||
| the local law enforcement agency believes that activation of the | ||
| alert system is warranted, the department shall: | ||
| (1) activate the alert system only in the following | ||
| areas: | ||
| (A) within a 100-mile radius of the location from | ||
| which the child is believed to have gone missing or the location in | ||
| which the child was last seen, as applicable; and | ||
| (B) in all counties adjacent to the county from | ||
| which the child is believed to have gone missing or the county in | ||
| which the child was last seen, as applicable; and | ||
| (2) notify appropriate participants in the alert | ||
| system, as established by rule. | ||
| SECTION 2. Section 411.356, Government Code, is amended to | ||
| read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 411.356. LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES. Before | ||
| requesting activation of the alert system, a local law enforcement | ||
| agency must verify that the criteria described by Section | ||
| 411.355(a) or (b) or 411.3555, as applicable, have been | ||
| satisfied. On verification of the applicable criteria, the local | ||
| law enforcement agency shall immediately contact the department to | ||
| request activation and shall supply the necessary information on | ||
| the forms prescribed by the director. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
| a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
| provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
| Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
| Act takes effect September 1, 2023. | ||
| ______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
| President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
| I certify that H.B. No. 3556 was passed by the House on May 9, | ||
| 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 3, 2 present, not | ||
| voting. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
| I certify that H.B. No. 3556 was passed by the Senate on May | ||
| 24, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| APPROVED: _____________________ | ||
| Date | ||
| _____________________ | ||
| Governor | ||
