Sec. 421.082. POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) The Texas Fusion Center shall serve as the state's primary entity for the planning, coordination, and integration of government communications capabilities to help implement the governor's homeland security strategy and ensure an effective response in the event of a homeland security emergency.

(b) The center's duties include:

(1) promotion of emergency preparedness;

(2) receipt and analysis of information, assessment of threats, and issuance of public warnings related to homeland security emergencies;

(3) authorization and facilitation of cooperative efforts related to emergency response and recovery efforts in the event of a homeland security emergency; and

(4) making recommendations to the Department of Public Safety regarding the monitoring of fusion centers operating in this state and regarding the functions of the Texas Fusion Center Policy Council created under Section 421.083.

(c) In performing its duties under this section, the center shall aim to:

(1) reduce the vulnerability of at-risk or targeted entities to homeland security emergencies; and

(2) prevent or minimize damage, injury, loss of life, and loss of property in the event of a homeland security emergency.

(d) The center shall perform its duties under circumstances prescribed by and as directed by the governor's homeland security strategy.

(e) The gang section of the center shall annually submit to the governor and the legislature a report assessing the threat posed statewide by criminal street gangs. The report must include identification of:

(1) law enforcement strategies that have been proven effective in deterring gang-related crime; and

(2) gang involvement in trafficking of persons.

(f) On request, the office of the attorney general, the Department of Public Safety, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, other law enforcement agencies, and juvenile justice agencies of this state shall provide to the gang section of the center information relating to criminal street gangs, gang-related crime, and gang involvement in trafficking of persons.

(g) Any information received by the center under this section that is stored, combined with other information, analyzed, or disseminated is subject to the rules governing criminal intelligence in 28 C.F.R. Part 23.

Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1312, Sec. 1, eff. June 21, 2003.

Amended by:

Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 1350 (S.B. 379), Sec. 1, eff. June 19, 2009.

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1178 (H.B. 3324), Sec. 5, eff. June 17, 2011.