By: Hughes S.B. No. 2514               A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to establishing the hostile foreign organizations unit at   the Department of Public Safety and training, prohibitions,   reporting requirements, and community outreach designed to combat   foreign influence; creating a criminal offense.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 411.002(a), Government Code, is amended   to read as follows:          (a)  The Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas is   an agency of the state to enforce the laws protecting the public   safety and provide for the prevention and detection of crime.  The   department is composed of the Texas Rangers, the hostile foreign   organizations unit, the Texas Highway Patrol, the administrative   division, and other divisions that the commission considers   necessary.          SECTION 2.  Chapter 411, Government Code, is amended by   adding Subchapter S to read as follows:   SUBCHAPTER S. HOSTILE FOREIGN ORGANIZATIONS UNIT          Sec. 411.551.  DEFINITIONS.  In this subchapter:                (1)  "Foreign influence operation" means covert   actions by foreign governments, primarily conducted indirectly   through front organizations, to influence political sentiment or   public discourse in the United States.                (2)  "Unit" means the department's hostile foreign   organizations unit established under this subchapter.          Sec. 411.552.  HOSTILE FOREIGN ORGANIZATIONS UNIT.    The   hostile foreign organizations unit is established in the department   to develop and make recommendations for implementing a strategy to   identify, investigate, and track foreign influence operations in   this state.          Sec. 411.553.  UNIT CHIEF AND OTHER EMPLOYEES; ADDITIONAL   DUTIES.  The director may:                (1)  appoint a unit chief and other unit employees as   necessary to perform unit functions; and                (2)  assign to the unit and the unit chief any duties of   another department division that relate to the investigation and   tracking of hostile foreign organizations.          Sec. 411.554.  STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT. The unit shall, in   collaboration with federal, state, and local agencies and private   entities, develop a strategy for identifying, investigating, and   tracking:                (1)  foreign influence operations in this state;                (2)  individuals conducting foreign influence   operations in this state; and                (3)  any person who:                      (A)  is an officer or employee of or is otherwise   associated with a hostile foreign government or other hostile   foreign organization; and                      (B)  maintains regular contact with an individual   described by Subdivision (2).          Sec. 411.555.  RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPLEMENTING STRATEGY.   The unit shall develop and report to the director recommendations   for cyber intelligence services and other similar services   necessary to implement the strategy developed under Section   411.554.          Sec. 411.556.  SECURE STORAGE OF SENSITIVE INFORMATION. (a)   The unit shall provide for the secure storage of sensitive   information obtained or produced as part of the strategy developed   under Section 411.554.          (b)  Information determined as sensitive under Subsection   (a) is not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552.          Sec. 411.557.  INFORMATION SHARING. With the approval of   the director, the unit may share information determined sensitive   under Section 411.556(a) with another federal, state, or local law   enforcement agency. The disclosure of information under this   section is not a voluntary disclosure under Section 552.007.          SECTION 3.  Chapter 470, Government Code, is amended by   adding Section 470.010 to read as follows:          Sec. 470.010.  ASIAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY OUTREACH   INITIATIVE. (a) In this section:                 (1)  "Foreign adversary" has the meaning assigned by   Section 572.070.                (2)  "Foreign influence operation" has the meaning   assigned by Section 411.551.          (b)  The governor, in collaboration with the council, shall   appoint a person to act as a liaison between this state and members   of the Asian-American community in this state, particularly the   Chinese diaspora community. The liaison shall conduct outreach to   the Asian-American community and take recommendations from the   community on improving government relations with the community.   The outreach must be designed to:                (1)combat Chinese Communist Party propaganda;                (2)  promote transparency regarding the goals of   foreign influence operations operating in this state; and                (3)  combat actions and behaviors, originated by or   attributable to a foreign adversary, committed by an agent of the   adversary to harass, intimidate, censor, or otherwise extend the   adversary's ability to influence, control, or impose the   adversary's preferences on the behavior of individuals outside of   the adversary's jurisdiction, either directly through physical   contact, threats, or electronic targeting, or through indirect   means including:                      (A)  actual or credible threats of punishment or   harassment of individuals under the effective control of the   adversary;                      (B)financial coercion;                      (C)abuse of administrative processes;                      (D)selective prosecution of general laws; or                      (E)  the use or direction of social media and   telecommunications entities.          SECTION 4.  Section 571.071, Government Code, is amended by   amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (e) and (f) to read   as follows:          (a)  The commission shall:                (1)  provide training by January of each odd-numbered   year for members and members-elect of the legislature concerning   compliance with the laws administered and enforced by the   commission; and                (2)  provide, in cooperation with state agencies:                      (A)[,]  a program of ethics training for state   employees; and                      (B)  a program of training for state employees on   foreign influence in accordance with Subsection (e).          (e)  The commission shall develop a training program to   educate state employees on the influence operations of foreign   adversaries and other hostile foreign actors, including the United   Front Work Department of the central committee of the Chinese   Communist Party and other coordinated foreign influence   operations. The training program must include education on:                (1)  known efforts by foreign adversaries to target and   influence subnational governments, including efforts made by the   United Front Work Department;                (2)  identifying and recognizing suspected foreign   influence operations;                (3)  informational resources promulgated by federal,   state, and nongovernmental organizations on United Front Work   Department activities in this state and adjacent states; and                (4)  reporting to the commission and law enforcement   agencies suspected foreign influence operations and other   interactions with persons acting on behalf of a foreign adversary.          (f)  In this section:                (1)  "Foreign adversary" has the meaning assigned by   Section 572.070.                (2)  "Foreign influence operation" has the meaning   assigned by Section 411.551.          SECTION 5.  Subchapter C, Chapter 572, Government Code, is   amended by adding Section 572.070 to read as follows:          Sec. 572.070.  PROHIBITIONS AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS   RELATED TO FOREIGN INFLUENCE; CRIMINAL OFFENSE. (a) In this   section, "foreign adversary" means a country identified by the   United States Director of National Intelligence as a country that   poses a risk to the national security of the United States in the   most recent Annual Threat Assessment of the U.S. Intelligence   Community issued pursuant to Section 108B, National Security Act of   1947 (50 U.S.C. Section 3043b).          (b)  An employee or volunteer of a state agency or a   political subdivision of this state may not:                (1)  accept transportation to or lodging in a country   that is a foreign adversary and that is paid for by the foreign   adversary because of the employee's or volunteer's position with   the state or political subdivision; or                (2)  accept a gift or item of value from a person   representing a foreign adversary for any purpose, including to pay   for travel expenses or as reimbursement for the costs of attending a   conference or other event in a country that is a foreign adversary   or that is hosted on behalf of a foreign adversary or a principal of   a foreign adversary.          (c)  An employee or volunteer of a state agency or a   political subdivision of this state shall report to the commission,   in the form and manner the commission requires, each interaction,   communication, or meeting the employee or volunteer has with a   person acting on behalf of a foreign adversary not later than the   30th day after the date of the interaction, communication, or   meeting. The commission shall make available a report under this   subsection to the attorney general and the Texas Department of   Public Safety on request.          (d)  A person commits an offense if the person violates this   section. An offense under this subsection is a Class A misdemeanor.          SECTION 6.  As soon as practicable after the effective date   of this Act but not later than January 1, 2026, the governor shall   appoint the liaison required by Section 470.010, Government Code,   as added by this Act.          SECTION 7.  Section 572.070(c), Government Code, as added by   this Act, applies to an interaction, communication, or meeting with   a person acting on behalf of a foreign adversary that occurs on or   after March 1, 2025. A person required to report an interaction,   communication, or meeting under that section that occurred before   the effective date of this Act shall make the report not later than   the 30th day after the effective date of this Act.          SECTION 8.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.