BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2183

By: Stucky

County Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The state's county jails have faced workforce challenges recently and are experiencing deficits in their workforce as they try to navigate the complexities of competing with employers who can offer more pay or better benefits. One issue making it difficult to hire qualified jailers is that state law currently prohibits the renewal of a temporary appointment of a county jailer. These appointments allow individuals who have not yet completed the requisite training to be temporarily employed as a jailer while they train. H.B. 2183 seeks to address this issue by authorizing sheriffs to petition for an extension of a temporary appointment and establishing conditions under which a person who served on a temporary basis as a county jailer and separated from that position may get a subsequent temporary appointment.  

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement in SECTION 2 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 2183 amends the Occupations Code to authorize a sheriff to petition the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) to extend the temporary appointment of a county jailer for a period not to exceed six months. The bill prohibits a person who has previously been appointed on a temporary basis as a county jailer and separated from that position from being subsequently appointed on a temporary basis as a county jailer at the same or a different county jail unless the person was in good standing at the time the person separated from the position. This subsequent temporary appointment may not exceed one year.

H.B. 2183 requires TCOLE, as soon as practicable after the bill's effective date, to adopt the rules necessary to implement the bill's provisions.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.