By: Wilson H.B. No. 1406
73R5613 JRD-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the educational requirements for certain peace officers
1-3 and reserve law enforcement officers.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 415.052(a), Government Code, is amended
1-6 to read as follows:
1-7 (a) The commission shall grant an appropriate license to a
1-8 person who, as required by this chapter, has:
1-9 (1) submitted a proper application;
1-10 (2) completed the required training and education;
1-11 (3) passed the required examination;
1-12 (4) been declared to be in satisfactory psychological
1-13 and emotional health and free from drug dependency or illegal drug
1-14 use; and
1-15 (5) demonstrated weapons proficiency.
1-16 SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 415, Government Code, is
1-17 amended by adding Section 415.0591 to read as follows:
1-18 Sec. 415.0591. EDUCATION REQUIREMENT. (a) The commission
1-19 shall adopt a rule providing that a person may be licensed as an
1-20 officer only if the person has successfully completed and received
1-21 credit for at least 15 semester hours of study from an accredited
1-22 college or university in addition to completing the training
1-23 requirements established by the commission under Section 415.032,
1-24 except as provided by Subsection (b). Of the required 15 semester
2-1 hours of study, at least three semester hours must be in a course
2-2 of English composition and at least three semester hours must be in
2-3 a course relating to state and local government. A person may
2-4 complete the minimum education requirements adopted under this
2-5 subsection through correspondence courses, courses offered at the
2-6 college or university, or a combination of those courses.
2-7 (b) The commission may license as an officer a person who
2-8 does not meet the education requirements adopted under Subsection
2-9 (a) if:
2-10 (1) the person:
2-11 (A) is younger than 21 years old; and
2-12 (B) has received an honorable discharge from the
2-13 United States armed forces after at least two years of service; or
2-14 (2) emergency circumstances, as determined by the
2-15 commission, require that the person be licensed.
2-16 (c) A person licensed as an officer by the commission under
2-17 Subsection (b)(1) must complete the minimum education requirements
2-18 adopted under Subsection (a) not later than three years after the
2-19 date on which the person becomes licensed, in addition to
2-20 completing the training requirements established under Section
2-21 415.032. A person licensed as an officer by the commission under
2-22 Subsection (b)(2) must complete the minimum education requirements
2-23 adopted under Subsection (a) not later than one year after the date
2-24 on which the person becomes licensed, in addition to completing the
2-25 training requirements established under Section 415.032.
2-26 (d) The commission shall revoke or suspend the license of an
2-27 officer who fails to complete the specified hours of study as
3-1 required by Subsection (c).
3-2 (e) This section does not apply to a person who was licensed
3-3 as an officer by the commission before September 1, 1994.
3-4 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1994.
3-5 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
3-6 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
3-7 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
3-8 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
3-9 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.