By Oakley H.B. No. 1953
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute
1-3 of Texas and its governance and programs for police chiefs.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 96, Education Code, is
1-6 amended by adding Section 96.641 to read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 96.641. INITIAL TRAINING AND CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR
1-8 POLICE CHIEFS. (a) The Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management
1-9 Institute of Texas shall establish and offer a program of initial
1-10 training and a program of continuing education for police chiefs.
1-11 The curriculum for each program must relate to law enforcement
1-12 management issues. The institute shall develop the curriculum for
1-13 the programs. The curriculum must be approved by the Commission on
1-14 Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education.
1-15 (b) Each police chief must receive at least 40 hours of
1-16 continuing education provided by the institute under this section
1-17 each 24-month period.
1-18 (c) An individual appointed or elected to that individual's
1-19 first position as chief must receive not less than 80 hours of
1-20 initial training for new chiefs under this section.
1-21 (d) A newly appointed or elected police chief shall complete
1-22 the initial training program for new chiefs not later than the
1-23 second anniversary of that individual's appointment or election as
1-24 chief. The initial training program for new chiefs is in addition
2-1 to the initial training and continuing education required by
2-2 Chapter 415, Government Code. On satisfactory completion of the
2-3 initial training program for new chiefs, the next 24-month period
2-4 under Subsection (b) begins for an individual on the first
2-5 anniversary of the date the individual completed the initial
2-6 training program.
2-7 (e) The institute by rule may provide a waiver of:
2-8 (1) the requirement of all or part of the 80 hours of
2-9 initial training for new chiefs to the extent the individual has
2-10 satisfactorily completed equivalent training in the 24 months
2-11 preceding the individual's appointment or election; or
2-12 (2) the continuing education requirements of
2-13 Subsection (b) if the individual has satisfactorily completed
2-14 equivalent continuing education in the preceding 24 months.
2-15 (f) An individual who is subject to the continuing education
2-16 requirements of Subsection (b) is exempt from other continuing
2-17 education requirements under Section 415.034, Government Code.
2-18 (g) In this section, "police chief" or "chief" means the
2-19 head of a police department.
2-20 SECTION 2. Sections 96.64(b), (c), and (h), Education Code,
2-21 are amended to read as follows:
2-22 (b) The Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute
2-23 of Texas is created for the training of police management
2-24 personnel. The headquarters of the institute are at Sam Houston
2-25 State University. The institute is under the supervision and
2-26 direction of the president of Sam Houston State University <and
2-27 shall be operated and managed as a joint program between Sam
3-1 Houston State University, Texas A&M University, and Texas Woman's
3-2 University>.
3-3 (c) The institute's advisory board is composed of seven
3-4 <nine> members appointed as follows:
3-5 (1) one by the governor, who must be a licensed peace
3-6 officer with supervisory experience;
3-7 (2) one by the lieutenant governor, who must be a
3-8 licensed peace officer with supervisory experience;
3-9 (3) one by the speaker of the house of
3-10 representatives, who must be a licensed peace officer with
3-11 supervisory experience;
3-12 (4) one by the president of Sam Houston State
3-13 University; and
3-14 (5) <one by the president of Texas A&M University;>
3-15 <(6) one by the president of Texas Woman's University;
3-16 and>
3-17 <(7)> three by the Commission on Law Enforcement
3-18 Officer Standards and Education, two of whom must be licensed,
3-19 nonsupervisory peace officers.
3-20 (h) The board shall elect a chairman, a vice-chairman, and a
3-21 secretary from the appointed members at its first meeting after new
3-22 appointments to fill regular terms. The board shall meet at least
3-23 once in each calendar quarter and may meet at other times as
3-24 necessary to perform the duties of the board. Four <Five> of the
3-25 appointed members constitute a quorum.
3-26 SECTION 3. (a) This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
3-27 (b) The Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute
4-1 of Texas shall establish the initial training and continuing
4-2 education programs required by Section 96.641, Education Code, as
4-3 added by this Act, not later than January 1, 1996.
4-4 (c) Section 96.641(c), Education Code, as added by this Act,
4-5 requiring not less than 80 hours of initial training for newly
4-6 appointed police chiefs, applies only to an individual appointed or
4-7 elected as police chief on or after January 1, 1997.
4-8 (d) The positions of the members of the advisory board of
4-9 the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas
4-10 that are filled by appointment by the presidents of Texas A&M
4-11 University and Texas Woman's University are abolished on September
4-12 1, 1995.
4-13 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
4-14 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-15 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-16 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-17 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.