BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 4470

By: Isaac

Homeland Security & Public Safety

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

School safety has become a top priority in light of the Uvalde tragedy and in response to recent violence on school campuses across the nation. Texas is the home of many retired and active duty military members and many fine peace officers who are active duty, reserve, or retired. Many of these public servants have expressed a desire to volunteer on school campuses to help ensure children and teachers are safe. H.B. 4470 seeks to allow honorably discharged veterans, active duty members of the U.S. armed forces, peace officers, reserve law enforcement officers, and retired peace officers to serve as volunteer school marshals.

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 this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 4470 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to authorize a school volunteer who is an honorably discharged veteran or active duty member of the armed forces of the United States, peace officer, reserve law enforcement officer, or retired peace officer to serve as a school marshal as an alternative to a person licensed as a school marshal.

H.B. 4470 amends the Education Code to authorize the board of trustees of a public school district, governing body of an open-enrollment charter school or private school, and governing board of a public junior college to select for appointment as a school marshal an applicant who is a district, school, or college volunteer who is an honorably discharged veteran or active duty member of the armed forces of the United States, peace officer, reserve law enforcement officer, or retired peace officer. The bill clarifies that the board of trustees, governing body, or governing board may, but is not required to, reimburse the amount paid by an applicant for appointment, and to participate in the training program as a school marshal. The bill adds a specification in current law to clarify that a person's status as a school marshal becomes inactive on:

· expiration of the person's school marshal license, if the person is required to hold that license as a condition of the person's school marshal license; or

· suspension or revocation of the person's license to carry a handgun, if the person is required to hold that license as a condition of the person's school marshal license.

H.B. 4470 amends the Occupations Code to make conforming changes.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.