2023S0234-T 03/01/23
 
  By: King S.B. No. 1422
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to enforcement of criminal offenses by state agencies, law
  enforcement agencies, political subdivisions, or local entities.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subtitle Z, Title 10, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Chapter 3001 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 3001. PROHIBITED POLICY ON NONENFORCEMENT OF CRIMINAL
  OFFENSES
         Sec. 3001.001.  PROHIBITION. A state agency, law
  enforcement agency, political subdivision, or local entity that
  receives any public funds shall not adopt, enforce, or endorse a
  policy, resolution, ordinance, or initiative categorically
  prohibiting or discouraging the enforcement or prosecution of a
  criminal offense.
         Sec. 3001.002.  COMPLAINT; EQUITABLE RELIEF. (a) Any
  person may file a complaint with the attorney general if the person
  offers evidence to support an allegation that a state agency, law
  enforcement agency, political subdivision, or local entity is
  violating Section 3001.001.
         (b)  If the attorney general determines that a complaint
  filed under Subsection (a) against a state agency, law enforcement
  agency, political subdivision, or local entity is valid, the
  attorney general shall, not later than the 10th day after the date
  of the determination, provide written notification to the state
  agency, law enforcement agency, political subdivision, or local
  entity that:
               (1)  the complaint has been filed; and
               (2)  the attorney general is authorized to file an
  action to enjoin the violation if the state agency, law enforcement
  agency, political subdivision, or local entity does not come into
  compliance with the requirements of Section 3001.001 on or before
  the 30th day after the date the notification is provided.
         (c)  If, following the 30th day after the notification
  described in Subsection (b) is provided, the attorney general
  determines that the state agency, law enforcement agency, political
  subdivision, or local entity is not in compliance with Section
  3001.001, the attorney general may petition the chief justice of
  the supreme court to convene the special three-judge district court
  described by Chapter 22A to hear a petition for a writ of mandamus
  or other appropriate equitable relief to compel the state agency,
  law enforcement agency, political subdivision, or local entity that
  is violating Section 3001.001 to comply with that section.  The
  court shall be convened in Travis County or the county in which the
  principal office of the state agency, law enforcement agency,
  political subdivision, or local entity is located.  The attorney
  general may recover reasonable expenses incurred in obtaining
  relief under this subsection, including court costs, reasonable
  attorney's fees, investigative costs, witness fees, and deposition
  costs.
         (d)  An appeal of a suit brought under Subsection (c) is
  governed by the procedures for accelerated appeals in civil cases
  under the Texas Rules of Appellate Procedure.
         Sec. 3001.003.  CIVIL PENALTY. (a) A state agency,
  political subdivision, or local entity, that violates Section
  3001.001 is subject to a civil penalty in an amount:
               (1)  not less than $1,000 and not more than $1,500 for
  the first violation; and
               (2)  $25,000 for each subsequent violation. 
         (b)  Each day of a continuing violation of Section 3001.001
  constitutes a separate violation for the civil penalty under this
  section.
         (c)  The three-judge district court that hears an action
  brought under Section 3001.002 against the state agency, law
  enforcement agency, political subdivision, or local entity shall
  determine the amount of the civil penalty under this section.
         (d)  A civil penalty collected under this section shall be
  deposited to the credit of the compensation to victims of crime fund
  established under Subchapter B, Chapter 56, Code of Criminal
  Procedure.
         (e)  Sovereign and governmental immunity to suit is waived
  and abolished to the extent of liability created by this section.
         SECTION 2.  Not later than January 1, 2024, each state
  agency, law enforcement agency, political subdivision, or local
  entity subject to this Act shall:
               (1)  formalize in writing any unwritten, informal
  policies or initiatives relating to the enforcement or prosecution
  of a criminal offense; and
               (2)  update its policies, resolutions, and/or
  initiatives to be consistent with this Act.
         SECTION 3.  It is the intent of the legislature that every
  provision, section, subsection, sentence, clause, phrase, or word
  in this Act, and every application of the provisions in this Act to
  each person, agency, subdivision, or entity, are severable from
  each other. If any application of any provision in this Act to any
  person, group of persons, or circumstances is found by a court to be
  invalid for any reason, the remaining applications of that
  provision to all other persons and circumstances shall be severed
  and may not be affected.
         SECTION 4.  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 take effect September 1, 2023.