1-1 By: Stiles (Senate Sponsor - West) H.B. No. 1650
1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 15, 1995;
1-3 May 16, 1995, read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal
1-4 Justice; May 22, 1995, reported favorably by the following vote:
1-5 Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 22, 1995, sent to printer.)
1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-7 AN ACT
1-8 relating to the qualifications of sheriffs.
1-9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-10 SECTION 1. Section 85.0011, Local Government Code, is
1-11 amended to read as follows:
1-12 Sec. 85.0011. QUALIFICATIONS. (a) A person is not eligible
1-13 to serve as sheriff unless the person:
1-14 (1) has a high school diploma or a high school
1-15 equivalency certificate; <and>
1-16 (2) is eligible to be licensed under Section 415.058
1-17 and 415.059, Government Code; and
1-18 (3) has completed the training required for licensing
1-19 as a peace officer under Chapter 415, Government Code.
1-20 (b) Subsection (a)(3) does not apply to the eligibility
1-21 requirements to serve as the sheriff of a county with a population
1-22 of less than 30,000.
1-23 SECTION 2. The change in law made by Section 1 of this Act
1-24 applies only to a person first elected or appointed to the office
1-25 of sheriff on or after the effective date of this Act. A person
1-26 elected or appointed to the office of sheriff before the effective
1-27 date of this Act is covered, for the remainder of the term for
1-28 which the person was elected or appointed, or for any subsequent
1-29 term for which the person serves as sheriff, by the law relating to
1-30 qualifications and continuing education in effect when the person
1-31 was first elected or appointed, and the former law is continued in
1-32 effect for that purpose.
1-33 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
1-34 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-35 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-36 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-37 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
1-38 * * * * *