Sec. 772.056. DUTIES OF UNIT. (a) The unit shall meet at least once annually to provide the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the members of the legislature with information regarding:

(1) the status of border crime and its effect on prosecutorial resources;

(2) the border crimes prosecuted by members of the unit; and

(3) the number of border crimes that are committed by a person who is not lawfully present in the United States.

(b) The unit shall advise the criminal justice division on:

(1) the allocation of grants under the prosecution of border crime grant program established under Section 772.0071;

(2) the division of the border region into two or more subregions for training purposes; and

(3) any additional prosecutorial needs of the border prosecuting attorneys, including a need for the employment of regional counsel described by Section 772.057 to assist with the prosecution of border crimes.

(c) The unit shall facilitate the coordination and collaboration of the border prosecuting attorneys with any regional counsel described by Section 772.057 and with other law enforcement agencies, including the Department of Public Safety, in the investigation and prosecution of border crime.

(d) The unit shall develop a nonexclusive list of offenses not otherwise described by Section 772.0071(a)(1) that constitute border crime to provide guidance and enhance uniformity in the investigation and prosecution of border crime.

(e) The unit shall serve as a clearinghouse for information related to the investigation and prosecution of border crime and shall develop best practices and guidelines, including best practices for the collection and protection of confidential law enforcement information.

(f) The unit shall assist in developing a training program and providing training to members of the unit and law enforcement agencies in the border region on specific issues and techniques relating to the investigation and prosecution of border crime.

(g) The unit shall develop accountability and performance measures for members of the unit who receive a grant under the prosecution of border crime grant program established under Section 772.0071.

Added by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 334 (H.B. 12), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2015.