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HB 3439

AN ACT relating to the powers and duties of the office of the attorney

House Bill Guillen
Filed

Filed

Bill introduced by legislator

Committee

Hearing

Passed Cmte

Calendar

Passed

Sent

Enrolled

Governor

Signed

89th Regular Session

Jan 14, 2025 - Jun 2, 2025 • Session ended

Awaiting Committee Assignment

Bill filed, pending referral to House committee

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Fiscal Note

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What This Bill Does

Expands the subpoena and tracking equipment authorization for certain law enforcement agencies, including the Attorney General's office, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, and juvenile justice departments. It allows these agencies to issue administrative subpoenas to communication carriers and electronic service providers to obtain business records related to criminal investigations, and requires them to submit lists of authorized officers and report expenditures for tracking equipment. The changes primarily affect law enforcement agencies in counties with populations over 3.3 million and specific state departments, granting them broader investigative powers.

Subject Areas

Bill Text

relating to the powers and duties of the office of the attorney
general with respect to certain laws governing the installation and
use of tracking equipment and access to certain communications.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1.  Article 18B.001(4), Code of Criminal Procedure,
(4)  "Designated law enforcement office or agency"
(A)  the sheriff's department of a county with a
population of 3.3 million or more;
(B)  a police department in a municipality with a
(C)  the office of inspector general of the Texas
Department of Criminal Justice; [or]
(D)  the office of inspector general of the Texas
Juvenile Justice Department; or
(E)  a division or section of the office of the
attorney general that conducts criminal investigations.
SECTION 2.  Article 18B.252(b), Code of Criminal Procedure,
(b)  If the director of the department or the director's
designee approves the policy submitted under Article 18B.251, the
inspector general of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice or
the inspector general's designee, the inspector general of the
Texas Juvenile Justice Department or the inspector general's
designee, the attorney general or the attorney general's designee,
or the sheriff or chief of a designated law enforcement agency or
the sheriff's or chief's designee, as applicable, shall submit to
the director a written list of all peace officers in the designated
law enforcement office or agency who are authorized to possess,
install, operate, or monitor pen registers, ESN readers, or similar
SECTION 3.  Article 18B.302(a), Code of Criminal Procedure,
(a)  The inspector general of the Texas Department of
Criminal Justice, the inspector general of the Texas Juvenile
Justice Department or the inspector general's designee, the
attorney general, or the sheriff or chief of a designated law
enforcement agency, as applicable, shall submit to the director of
the department a written report of expenditures made by the
designated law enforcement office or agency to purchase and
maintain a pen register, ESN reader, or similar equipment
SECTION 4.  Article 18B.451, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
Art. 18B.451.  SUBPOENA AUTHORITY.  The director of the
department or the director's designee, the inspector general of the
Texas Department of Criminal Justice or the inspector general's
designee, the inspector general of the Texas Juvenile Justice
Department or the inspector general's designee, the attorney
general or the attorney general's designee, or the sheriff or chief
of a designated law enforcement agency or the sheriff's or chief's
designee may issue an administrative subpoena to a communication
common carrier or a provider of an electronic communications
service to compel the production of any carrier's or service
provider's business records that:
(1)  disclose information about:
(A)  the carrier's or service provider's
(B)  users of the services offered by the carrier
(2)  are material to a criminal investigation.
SECTION 5.  Article 18B.452, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
Art. 18B.452.  REPORT OF ISSUANCE OF SUBPOENA.  Not later
than the 30th day after the date on which an administrative subpoena
is issued under Article 18B.451, the inspector general of the Texas
Department of Criminal Justice, the inspector general of the Texas
Juvenile Justice Department or the inspector general's designee,
the attorney general, or the sheriff or chief of a designated law
enforcement agency, as applicable, shall report to the department
SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

Bill History

filed

Bill filed: AN ACT relating to the powers and duties of the office of the attorney