Senate Committee on Criminal Justice
Committee Information
CHAIR
Pete Flores
VICE-CHAIR
Phil King
CLERK:
Luke Owen
TEL:
(512) 463-0345
LOCATION:
Sam Houston Building, 470
Video/Audio — Archives
88th Session Interim
88th Regular Session
- May 19, 2023 (Part II)
- May 19, 2023 (Part I)
- May 16, 2023
- May 9, 2023 (Part II) — Audio only.
- May 9, 2023 (Part I)
- May 2, 2023
- April 25, 2023
- April 18, 2023
- April 11, 2023
- April 4, 2023 (Part II)
- April 4, 2023 (Part I)
- March 28, 2023 (Part II)
- March 28, 2023 (Part I)
- March 21, 2023
- March 7, 2023 (Part II)
- March 7, 2023 (Part I)
Interim Charges
- Stopping Child Predators: Study how predators use deepfake technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to harm or exploit children. Monitor the implementation of House Bill 2700, 88th Legislature, relating to prosecution of certain criminal offenses prohibiting sexually explicit visual material involving children. Recommend additional legislation to protect children as technology continues to evolve.
- Bail Reform: Examine “charitable bail organizations” that pay bail for defendants, thereby relieving them of any financial incentive to appear in court. Study the operations and funding sources of these organizations. Make recommendations to ensure accountability for “charitable bail organizations” that provide free bond for arrested individuals that reoffend while out on bond; further restrict these organizations’ ability to post bail for violent individuals; and promote transparency.
- Supporting Victims of Sexual Assault: Examine the collection and processing of “rape kits” by law enforcement agencies and testing laboratories. Make recommendations to ensure that forensic evidence collected from victims of sexual assault is processed in a timely manner.
- Retail Theft: Study the effects of organized retail crime in Texas and in other states. Evaluate the reporting and legislative suggestions from the statewide Organized Retail Theft Task Force. Make recommendations to protect the safety of retail employees and business owners in Texas.
- Financial Crimes: Evaluate financial criminal activity trends in Texas, including the fiscal impact on consumers, financial institutions, local economies, and businesses. Determine the extent of payment fraud by transnational criminal gangs. Study the impact of the Financial Crimes Intelligence Center (FCIC). Make recommendations that enhance penalties for check and payment fraud and identify ways to strengthen financial crime investigations in Texas.
- Monitoring: Monitor the implementation of legislation addressed by the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice passed by the 88th Legislature, as well as relevant agencies and programs under the committee's jurisdiction. Specifically, make recommendations for any legislation needed to improve, enhance, or complete implementation of the following:
- Senate Bill 1004, relating to creating the criminal offense of tampering with an electronic monitoring device and to certain consequences on conviction of that offense.
