Highlights 77th Texas Legislature - Senate

CRIMINAL JUSTICE
Offenses
USTICE/Sex Offenders and
77 th Texas Legislature
As part of the sex offender registration process, many states use sex offender screening tools to assign a
numeric rating indicating the offender's level of risk to the community.
Changes the rating system of a sex offender’s risk of reoffending to include three levels of risk: level one
representing low risk; level two moderate risk; and level three high risk.
Moves the task of assigning the risk level from the risk assessment review committee (committee) to the
Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) for adult offenders and to the Texas Youth Commission
(TYC) for juvenile offenders.
Requires the committee to oversee the assignment of risk levels and authorizes the committee, TDCJ,
TYC, or a court to override a risk level assignment if the entity can document the reason for its contention
that the risk level assigned is inaccurate.
Sex Offender Registration Program - S.B. 1380
by Senator Armbrister
House Sponsor: Representative Allen
Requires juvenile and adult sex offenders, whether incarcerated or on community supervision, to submit a
blood sample or other specimen for the purpose of creating a DNA record.
Extends the Texas sex offender registration program to those required to register under federal or military
law.
Provides that DPS is responsible for determining whether a sex offense under laws of another state, federal
law, or military law contains elements substantially similar to Texas laws, thus making the offender subject
to the sex offender registration program.
Requires the notice indicating a sex offender is moving into the neighborhood to be in English and Spanish.
Requires DPS to post, on any DPS website related to the sex offender registration database, any
photograph of the registrant obtained from DPS’s driver’s license or identification card database.
Expands the list of persons persons required to register for life as sex offenders to include individuals who,
having a previous conviction for a reportable offense, commit indecency with a child without contact,
unlawful restraint of a child, kidnapping of a minor, and aggravated kidnapping without intent to sexually
abuse.
Covert Photographing or Visual Recording of Another for Sexual Purposes - H.B. 73
by Representative Garcia, et al.
Senate Sponsor: Senator West
Senate Research Center 65