JWW S.B. 527 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS PUBLIC SAFETY S.B. 527 By: Patterson, Jerry (Talton) 4-16-97 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Currently, a peace officer is subject to being discharged from the officer's place of employment for refusing to take a polygraph examination. The goal of S.B. 527 is to extend the same privileges to police officers that the general public enjoys by prohibiting an officer from being discharged by the officer's employer for refusing to take a polygraph examination. PURPOSE As proposed, S.B. 527 outlines provisions prohibiting employment discrimination against certain peace officers for refusing to take a polygraph examination. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1 Amends Chapter 614, Government Code, by adding Subchapter E, "POLYGRAPH EXAMINATIONS", as follows: Section 614.061. DEFINITION. Defines "peace officer." Section 614.062. APPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER. Provides that this subchapter does not apply to a peace officer to whom Section 411.007, Government Code, applies. Section 614.063. POLYGRAPH EXAMINATION. Prohibits a peace officer from being suspended, discharged, or subjected to any other form of employment discrimination by the peace officer's employer because the officer refuses to take a polygraph examination. SECTION 2 Section 143.124, Local Government Code, removes all references to police officers in this section by removing "or police officers" where it appears. The word "person" is replaced with "firefighter." In addition, "fire" is added before any reference to "department." SECTION 3 Section 143.313, Local Government Code, removes all references to police officers in this section by removing "or police officers" where it appears. The word "person" is replaced with "firefighter." In addition, "fire" replaces "employing" before "department." SECTION 4 Repeals Section 157.905, Local Government Code. SECTION 5 Emergency Clause. Effective upon passage.