BILL ANALYSIS


                                                         H.B. 552
                                            By: Hunter, B. (Sims)
                                                 Criminal Justice
                                                         05-17-95
                                Senate Committee Report (Amended)
BACKGROUND

Currently, teaching hospitals or hospitals which qualify as
institutions of higher learning are authorized to commission peace
officers under Chapter 51, Education Code.  Hospitals which reside
in a municipality of greater than 1,200,000, are also authorized to
commission  peace officers.

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 552 authorizes hospitals to employ persons as
commissioned peace officers.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or
agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 311A, Health and Safety Code, by adding
Section 311.004, as follows:

     Sec. 311.004.  PEACE OFFICERS OF HOSPITALS IN CERTAIN
     MUNICIPALITIES.  (a)  Authorizes the governing board of a
     hospital in a municipality with a population of 45,000 or more
     to employ and commission peace officers to protect the
     hospital.
     
     (b)  Requires a hospital that commissions a peace officer
       under this section to pay all certification or licensing
       fees for the peace officer license that are charged by the
       Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and
       Education.
       
       (c)  Sets forth the primary jurisdiction of a peace officer
       commissioned by a hospital under this section.
       
       (d)  Sets forth the authorized actions of a peace officer
       commissioned under this section in the officer's primary
       jurisdiction.
       
       (e)  Provides that outside a peace officer's primary
       jurisdiction, a peace officer commissioned under this
       section is vested with all the powers, privileges, and
       immunities of peace officers, and may arrest any person who
       violates any law of the state if the peace officer is
       summoned by a law enforcement agency to provide assistance
       or is assisting a law enforcement agency.
       
       (f)  Provides that this section does not apply to a hospital
       in a municipality located in a county with a population of
       more than 2.8 million.
       
       (g)  Defines "hospital."
       
SECTION 2. Amends Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, to
include officers commissioned by a hospital under Section 311.004,
Health and Safety Code, among persons who are considered peace
officers.  Makes conforming changes.

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.
           Effective date: upon passage.