HBA-MSH, MSH H.B. 547 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 547 By: Noriega Public Safety 3/21/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, the Department of Public Safety (DPS) is required to provide written notice of the place where certain sex offenders intend to reside on release from a penal institution to each residential address within a one-mile radius in an area that has not been subdivided, or a three-block area in an area that has been subdivided. However, there may be a large number of residents in that particular area who may only speak Spanish, and thus will not be properly informed of the presence of a sex offender if notice is provided only in English. House Bill 547 requires DPS to provide notice in both English and Spanish. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 547 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure relating to the public notification requirements for certain sexual offenders. The bill requires the Department of Public Safety to provide such notice in both English and Spanish. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.