By Bailey                                             H.B. No. 2226
       74R4782 PB-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the authority of a law enforcement officer commissioned
    1-3  by the Department of Public Safety to wear the officer's
    1-4  state-issued uniform while providing law enforcement services for
    1-5  entities other than the department.
    1-6        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-7        SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 411, Government Code, is
    1-8  amended by adding Section 411.0078 to read as follows:
    1-9        Sec. 411.0078.  USE OF UNIFORM WHILE PERFORMING CERTAIN
   1-10  OFF-DUTY ACTIVITIES.  (a)  An officer commissioned by the
   1-11  department may wear the officer's state-issued uniform while
   1-12  providing law enforcement services for a person or entity other
   1-13  than the  department if the officer acts in a manner that does not
   1-14  adversely affect the operations or reputation of the department.
   1-15        (b)  The department by rule shall adopt reasonable guidelines
   1-16  regarding the standards of behavior to be maintained by an officer
   1-17  who wears the officer's uniform in a situation described by
   1-18  Subsection (a).
   1-19        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
   1-20        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-21  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-22  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-23  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-24  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.