The Senate Committee on Border Security has released its interim report to the 89th Legislature. The report includes details on public testimony taken during committee hearings and written materials submitted to the Committee. See below for a spotlight on recommendations from the report.
Charge 1. Review state and local agencies’ participation in border security.
- Continue to support and fund Operation Lone Star.
- Grant funding to state agencies and local law enforcement for the wear and tear on equipment used for Operation Lone Star.
- The Committee recommends that the Office of Court Administration create a reporting system and gather metrics from all local and state law enforcement authorities in an effort to streamline data sharing of OLS related cases.
- The legislature should consider a more stable funding mechanism for OLS courts.
- Increase funding for the Border Prosecution Unit.
Charge 2. Examine the impact of transnational criminal activity on commerce including, but not limited to, organized crime fuel theft to fund criminal operations. Make recommendations to support and strengthen interagency border operations to combat criminal enterprises.
- Amend statute to provide Texas Anti-Gang Centers additional flexibility in identifying and validating gang members.
- Amend current statute to expand entry of suspected gang members into TxGANG intelligence database.
- The Legislature should consider imposing statutory weight limits (80K lbs is federal standard) for motor fuel transporter licensees.
- Create licensing and reporting requirements for fuel depot storage yards, and criminalize knowingly operating a fuel depot for storage and fuel sales without proper inspection and licensing.
- Grant peace officers of the Texas Comptroller’s Office Criminal Investigation Division authority to install vehicle trackers.
- The Legislature should consider appropriating additional FTE funding to the Department of Public Safety for commercial vehicle inspectors.
- The Legislature should consider appropriating funding to the Texas Comptroller’s Officer Criminal Investigation Division for additional FTEs and safety and testing equipment.
- Amend statute to criminalize the act of overloading cargo tanks with hazardous materials, specifically combustible fuels.
- Amend statute to criminalize knowingly driving off a permitted route with combustible materials.
- Amend statute to criminalize the act of knowingly and negligently discharging fuels and harmful chemicals in relation to transloading operations onto land that is owned or belonging to another.
- The Legislature should direct the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality and the Department of Public Safety to collaborate on operations involving unregulated fuel depots to ensure environmental protection.
Charge 3. Consider the effect on personnel who have actively served or participated in Operation Lone Star and the impact of their service on their health and well-being, and their regular employment or assignments outside of Operation Lone Star. Study the challenges and barriers that affect the recruitment and retention of personnel engaged in border security efforts.
- The Department of Public Safety, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission identified the need for additional personnel as well as funding for equipment. The Committee recommends that each agency officially make these requests in their Legislative Appropriation Requests. Grant funding for these agencies to hire additional personnel and repair or purchase equipment.
- The Legislature should explore potential options to add additional or expand current benefits for State Guardsmen serving in Operation Lone Star.
Charge 4.a. Monitor the implementation of Senate Bill 602, relating to the law enforcement authority of federal border patrol agents.
- The Committee does not have any recommendations relating to the implementation of the bill at this time. However, future approval by the federal government could warrant further monitoring and study.
Charge 4.b. Monitor the implementation of Senate Bill 1133, relating to a program to compensate landowners for property damage caused by certain criminal activities.
- Examine and make recommendations to make the insurance declination process less cumbersome.
- Change statute to expand the Landowner Compensation Grant Program to help landowners clean up debris left by illegal immigrants who passed through their property.
- Change statute to expand the definition of border crime within the Landowner Compensation Grant Program.
- Advise the Office of the Attorney General to work with landowners and law enforcement agencies to streamline the law enforcement reporting requirement of the grant program application.
Charge 4.c. Monitor the implementation of Senate Bill 1484, relating to a border operations training program for peace officers employed by local law enforcement agencies.
- As a result of the testimony provided, there appears to be no need for additional monitoring of Senate Bill 1484 as the development of the program is currently adequate.
Long-Term Considerations of the Senate Committee on Border Security
- Texas should expect to have a cooperative federal partner, and Texas should cautiously expect some form of federal relief of our current operational tempo in the coming months; complete cessation of Operation Lone Star (OLS) is ill-advised.
- Texas should maintain some level of its current border security operations in order to supplement our new faithful partner, and maintain institutional knowledge should such a relaunch of OLS be required again after January of 2029.
