1-1 By: Bivins S.B. No. 249
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed January 17, 1995; January 18, 1995,
1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice;
1-4 April 7, 1995, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 7,
1-5 Nays 0; April 7, 1995, sent to printer.)
1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-7 AN ACT
1-8 relating to a municipality's power to require citizenship as a
1-9 prerequisite to employment as a peace officer.
1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11 SECTION 1. The title of Subchapter B, Chapter 150, Local
1-12 Government Code, is amended to read as follows:
1-13 SUBCHAPTER B. RESIDENCY OR CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENTS
1-14 SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 150, Local Government Code,
1-15 is amended by adding Section 150.022 to read as follows:
1-16 Sec. 150.022. CITIZENSHIP REQUIREMENT. (a) A municipality
1-17 may require United States citizenship as a prerequisite to
1-18 appointment or employment as a peace officer by that municipality.
1-19 (b) In this section, "peace officer" means an individual who
1-20 is a peace officer under Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure,
1-21 or other law.
1-22 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
1-23 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-24 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-25 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-26 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
1-27 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
1-28 passage, and it is so enacted.
1-29 * * * * *