By Bivins                                              S.B. No. 249
       74R1841 MLR-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to a municipality's power to require citizenship as a
    1-3  prerequisite to employment as a peace officer.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  The title of Subchapter B, Chapter 150, Local
    1-6  Government Code, is amended to read as follows:
    1-7         SUBCHAPTER B.  RESIDENCY OR CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENTS
    1-8        SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 150, Local Government Code,
    1-9  is amended by adding Section 150.022 to read as follows:
   1-10        Sec. 150.022.  CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENT.  (a)  A municipality
   1-11  may require United States citizenship as a prerequisite to
   1-12  appointment or employment as a peace officer by that municipality.
   1-13        (b)  In this section, "peace officer" means an individual who
   1-14  is a peace officer under Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure,
   1-15  or other law.
   1-16        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-17  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-18  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-19  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   1-20  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   1-21  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
   1-22  passage, and it is so enacted.