[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6095779,"mediaKeyId","2836894-74e848e809990332dbd4cc9d7ff1d900","parentId",2836894,"title","Senate committee advances bill to create DPS unit targeting organized oilfield theft","audioSeconds",1377,"startMs",118000,"endMs",1495000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2836894-74e848e809990332dbd4cc9d7ff1d900&start=118&end=1495","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2836894-74e848e809990332dbd4cc9d7ff1d900/thumbnail_118000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6095779/Texas/Senate-committee-advances-bill-to-create-DPS-unit-targeting-organized-oilfield-theft","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6095779-9f0802fc280662798c09a2c325d0314f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770433635&Signature=CgI1CRvmt5YwnAw43Roit94E95lGcbFihydOI-8XCTX00DmzKKgnsQT3ywpWiWhI~SwDx68HSv677vanCUFmRySh-l30JSfAELzbKUz9Js7BzioFyOmkdgaVVpkpIo6U6XyUm9MiereFuhyzCLUMKSl1CzLlWJYu93k6KNoG1R03uyyPbJdtPwFJxwZxl0YN9gy4BUuftMiSxFBafxwRFIAXoSLrC1TlrlYU0fqe9SuTVlsOCjen6nAruBRZd5Uwoq8chexoN0UdKo~Lt0HOe10nAF08drZBDqmMppXF3U~asaUmCAiD8~lOW26kK3rgdLNh9TeQuGLQ31Rd6y-KHA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Texas Legislature","date","2025-04-01T00:00:00Z","article","Senate Bill 1320 would create a dedicated unit inside the Texas Department of Public Safety to investigate and arrest people engaged in theft of petroleum products and related organized criminal enterprises, the bill author told the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice.

The bill’s sponsor, Senator Brian Sparks, told the committee the unit would be statewide but headquartered in the Permian Basin, provide specialized training for local law enforcement, maintain a centralized database of incidents, and submit biannual reports to legislative leaders and the governor. \"To address this, Senate Bill 1320 creates a dedicated unit within DPS with the authority to investigate and arrest individuals engaged in theft of petroleum products,\" Sparks said.

Why it matters: witnesses and local officials described a shift from opportunistic, small-scale thefts to organized, multi-jurisdictional operations that create economic loss and safety risks, including explosions. Supporters said local law enforcement and existing industry practices cannot fully match the scale and sophistication now reported.

Permian Basin industry and law enforcement representatives testified in support. Bill Vanderland, testifying for the Permian Basin Oilfield Crime Committee, said reported cases are \"only the tip of the iceberg\" and described how thefts can be difficult to detect when production drops are attributed to routine operational changes. \"It's very easy for thieves to come and steal quantities of oil and it basically never be noticed,\" Vanderland said.

Michael Lozano of the Permian Basin Petroleum Association said organized groups move product and create logistical challenges across jurisdictions, and that a DPS unit would help \"organize the law enforcement challenges that we see.\" Philip MacFurlow, a West Texas district attorney, and Ed Longenecker of the Texas Independent Producers and Royalty Owners Association also urged passage, describing large-dollar thefts and safety incidents, including a reported explosion at a saltwater disposal site.

Texas Department of Public Safety Chief of Criminal Investigations Floyd Goodwin appeared as a neutral resource witness and said DPS currently has \"2 that are primarily working this,\" adding the agency would take \"as many as you want to give us\" but acknowledging the problem is concentrated in the Permian Basin and parts of South Texas.

Committee action and next steps: Senator Parker moved that SB 1320 be reported favorably to the full Senate; the clerk recorded six ayes and no nays and the bill was referred as recommended. The committee recorded: Chair Flores — Aye; Vice Chair Parker — Aye; Senator Hinojosa — Aye; Senator Huffman — Aye; Senator Miles — Aye; Senator Hagenboo — Aye. The committee recommended the bill for the local and uncontested calendar on Senator Hinojosa’s suggestion.

Supporters urged quick legislative action; some members asked for additional detail on staffing and funding. The bill text directs the unit to report arrests, prosecutions and asset recoveries every two years to legislative leaders and the governor. The committee did not specify the final staffing levels in the hearing record.

Ending: With the committee’s favorable recommendation, SB 1320 moves to the full Senate. The bill's supporters said they expect the Permian Basin headquarters and a centralized database to improve cross-jurisdiction investigations and prosecutions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Committee on Criminal Justice April 1, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Senate Bill 1320 would create a dedicated unit inside the Texas Department of Public Safety to investigate and arrest people engaged in theft of petroleum products and related organized criminal enterprises, the bill author told the Senate Committee on Criminal Justice.","taxTitle","Committee on Criminal Justice, Senate, Legislative, Texas","taxId",16924,"location","Texas","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6095769,"Criminal Justice Committee advances multiple bills on DWI, corrections, licensing and fraud; votes at a glance",1900,1550000,3450000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2836894-74e848e809990332dbd4cc9d7ff1d900&start=1550&end=3450","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2836894-74e848e809990332dbd4cc9d7ff1d900/thumbnail_1550000.jpg","/articles/6095769/Texas/Criminal-Justice-Committee-advances-multiple-bills-on-DWI-corrections-licensing-and-fraud-votes-at-a-glance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6095769-92ba9a5e1c178311b81f98415f97531a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770433635&Signature=QbU11M-UEbBo9f2ExZUcB6mvt-jt9Vl3vY0ECDMtWJDU7bzk8RSJGxOJeyduq41sYqCpK18BPPOIWjj5Abb2m3-g182M19PoTROPw8IzQbMt2aDDnC6J2bKBhWFssDqnWlrSSzYksQOJHlcSzmeBXuiB0Di5Lck~xdLlTRIW2UKznE1tDMaIEKvnw2lXctjTDYSUw8qztFc-ytBqv~wz52G7QecbZz6EiJMsxQse1eLrCJhjyUpY1atMXOPzYv3qR3I2f9jIJzzxHTDf67~iWAKjPZ~con9MMEJ0XnVFdgt8r0FGja4EDq1cdiUFsrHgI5lJQh9Qniw-ndu2UTFCwg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Senate Committee on Criminal Justice heard a broad agenda and voted to advance a package of bills covering driving-while-intoxicated penalties, occupational licensing for people leaving prison, gift-card fraud, county reporting of inmates housed out of state, magistrate qualifications and other criminal justice measures.

Why it matters: The measures range from criminal-penalty changes intended to deter repeat DWI offenders to administrative reforms meant to increase transparency (jail reporting) and improve reentry outcomes (occupational licenses for incarcerated people). Several items attracted testimony from victims' families, law enforcement and reentry advocates.

Key bills and committee action (votes at a glance):

- Senate Bill 826 (SB 8 26 in transcript) — Enhance DWI in school zones to a state jail felony: Reported favorably (7 ayes, 0 nays). Sponsor: Senator Parker. Public testimony: none registered. (Clerk recorded 7 ayes.)

- Senate Bill 2320 — Broad DWI penalty enhancements (increase misdemeanor classes and escalate some to state jail felonies for repeat or aggravated offenses): Reported favorably (5 ayes, 0 nays). Sponsor: Senator Brian King. Witnesses included Lauren McElroy, who lost family members in a 2023 DWI crash, and local law enforcement supporting tougher penalties.

- Senate Bill 476 (SB 4 76 in transcript) — Enhance penalty for intoxication manslaughter when court-ordered ignition interlock is bypassed: Left pending after committee discussion. Sponsor: Senator Mays Middleton. Supporters described tragic fatal crashes where interlock restrictions were bypassed; some senators expressed concern about scope and urged amendments.

- Senate Bill 1080 — Occupational licensing for people while incarcerated (committee substitute adopted): Committee substitute reported favorably (6 ayes, 0 nays). Sponsor: Senator West. Supporters included formerly incarcerated people and organizations advocating improved reentry outcomes; witnesses described long waits between release and licensing that delay employment.

- Senate Bill 1809 — Gift-card fraud statute (committee substitute): Committee substitute reported favorably (5 ayes, 0 nays). Sponsor: Senator Flores. The substitute defines new conduct (tampering with gift-card packaging, counterfeit gift card, digital imprint), includes a rebuttable presumption for possession patterns, and ties penalties to the number of unlawfully possessed items.

- Senate Bill 2289 — County reporting of out-of-state inmates to the Texas Commission on Jail Standards: Reported favorably (5 ayes, 0 nays). Sponsor: Senator Miles. Resource testimony confirmed counties currently collect some data, but the bill would require a running tally to improve transparency about outsourced custody.

- Senate Bill 745 — New first-degree felony option for intoxication manslaughter in multi-victim cases: Reported favorably (5 ayes, 0 nays). Sponsor: Senator Kolkhorst. Supporters argued current sentencing can leave families of multiple victims without compounded accountability.

- Senate Bill 989 — Criminal-background checks for special masters, magistrates and other court officials who set bail: Reported favorably (4 ayes, 0 nays). Sponsor: Senator Bettencourt. The bill requires background checks for any court official assessing bail and limits disclosure of criminal-history results; it also requires destruction of the records after probationary terms.

- Senate Bill 1437 — Expand TJJD do-not-hire registry to close gaps for noncertified juvenile probation staff and volunteers: Reported favorably (5 ayes, 0 nays). Sponsor: Senator Bettencourt. Supporters included the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops and private schools that use the registry via the interagency search engine.

- Senate Bill 664 — Statewide qualifications and oversight standards for magistrates and associate judges (committee substitute): Committee substitute reported favorably (5 ayes, 0 nays). Sponsor: Senator Huffman. The substitute sets baseline qualifications (state residency, licensed to practice law, good standing) and directs administrative-judge oversight.

What supporters and opponents said: Victims’ family members and local law enforcement strongly backed tougher DWI penalties; reentry organizations and formerly incarcerated witnesses supported licensing changes that would speed employment after release. Civil-rights groups opposed earlier transfer of juveniles to adult custody and warned that adult prisons are not appropriate placements for youth, citing constitutional precedents and local facility staffing and use-of-force concerns.

Committee procedure and next steps: Most bills were reported favorably and sent to the full Senate, several with recommendations for the local and uncontested calendar. Some bills, including the juvenile transfer proposal and the ignition-interlock enhancement, were left pending for further stakeholder work and possible amendments.

Ending: The committee advanced a broad slate of measures that mix criminal penalties, administrative reforms and fraud-targeting provisions. Several contentious items will return for additional negotiation before final votes.","The Senate Committee on Criminal Justice reported several bills to the full Senate on topics including expanded penalties for intoxicated driving, occupational licensing for people leaving prison, a gift-card fraud statute, county reporting of out-of-state inmates, and magistrate standards. One juvenile sentencing bill was left pending.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6095774,"Senate hearing spotlights escalating assaults at juvenile facilities; bill to allow transfers to adult system left pending",796,1944000,2740000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2836894-74e848e809990332dbd4cc9d7ff1d900&start=1944&end=2740","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2836894-74e848e809990332dbd4cc9d7ff1d900/thumbnail_1944000.jpg","/articles/6095774/Texas/Senate-hearing-spotlights-escalating-assaults-at-juvenile-facilities-bill-to-allow-transfers-to-adult-system-left-pending","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6095774-8d69c01217aea0eb636a1f2e178d48e8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770433635&Signature=b7d2ZSpMTaHCPnKfU4TzZE0RrjhVqlS411yH2EJsHgEM3~1H16iAmKVZYnlncKlB7RYWWixZwdLsO0OWpD-xTPD3--P9ZikXE2Bl8el478vVV6Lke4iRebE5CFB2HShlI1yXQeRy~q~0HvwlLvcUquumrhZdvG~V4xlRO6zvbivnmaznkvzdJDNL9t9EaN0IilGMrcz2nlrJ~L6s15ydXVsgvUULY6hcxnD~kjCPT3TbobbQ3SDsXBzxABuQexxbHqDHEWHN7KPOAn4H4QJeyvSV70gv0JxS2ZN91hnllxA8rM9SBfF4JpIBtzpotzEPOZ79bD8WlARZyuMguJoPnQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 1727, explained by Senator Charles Perry, would allow the juvenile justice department and courts to seek determinate (adult) sentences for certain youths who commit new felonies while already committed to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD). Perry told the committee the measure aims to give the state tools to address repeated assaults on staff at juvenile facilities: \"This bill seeks to provide the department and law enforcement with necessary tools to address the violent assault on staff.\"

Why it matters: TJJD staff and probation officers described a rise in assaults on employees at juvenile facilities and probation departments; advocates and civil-rights groups warned that transferring youth to adult prison risks harm and may conflict with constitutional protections for juveniles.

What supporters said: Tina Lincoln of Hill County juvenile probation and William Carter, a Lubbock County chief juvenile probation officer, said the bill would allow continued supervision and accountability for older juveniles who commit violent crimes while committed. Philip Perry and supporters noted that most serious facility assaults are by repeat offenders and that the bill would permit transfer requests to adult custody when certain standards are met.

What opponents said: Alicia Castillo of the Texas Civil Rights Project urged opposition. She cited rising use-of-force rates in youth facilities and referenced U.S. Supreme Court precedents that recognize reduced culpability and greater capacity for change in juveniles. \"The only worse place than TJJD for kids is TDCJ,\" Castillo told the committee, arguing adult prison is an inappropriate response for many youth.

Resource witnesses: Chandra Carter, the TJJD executive director, and Shawn Grove, TJJD deputy executive director, answered questions about available adult programs such as TDCJ’s youthful-offender (Champion) programs and facility placements. Carter and Grove said the youthful-offender program typically houses fewer than 30 youth and that transfers have most commonly involved 18-year-olds.

Committee action: After public testimony from probation officers, TJJD staff, and advocates on both sides, the committee left SB 1727 pending for further work. The hearing record shows substantial debate about age thresholds, where transferred youth would be housed, and whether the bill should lower the transfer age from 16 to 15 in some circumstances. Senator Perry noted the bill had been filed in prior sessions and characterized it as bipartisan in origin.

Ending: The committee left the measure pending to allow members and stakeholders more time to reconcile public-safety concerns, the availability of adult placements such as the Champion program, and constitutional and rehabilitative issues raised by opponents.","Lawmakers heard competing testimony on Senate Bill 1727, which would designate certain youth as engaging in habitual felony conduct and allow earlier transfer of some juveniles to the adult prison system; the committee left the bill pending after extensive debate and mixed testimony.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Senate committee advances bill to create DPS unit targeting organized oilfield theft

Criminal Justice Committee advances multiple bills on DWI, corrections, licensing and fraud; votes at a glance

Senate hearing spotlights escalating assaults at juvenile facilities; bill to allow transfers to adult system left pending