By Oakley                                       H.B. No. 1881

      75R7227 GJH-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to initial training and continuing education for police

 1-3     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 in consultation with the Texas Police Chiefs

1-14     Association.

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 fewer than 80 hours of

1-20     initial training for new chiefs in accordance with Subsections (d)

1-21     and (e).

1-22           (d)  A newly appointed or elected police chief shall complete

1-23     the initial training program for new chiefs not later than the

1-24     second anniversary of that individual's appointment or election as

 2-1     chief.  The initial training program for new chiefs is in addition

 2-2     to the initial training and continuing education required by

 2-3     Chapter 415, Government Code.  The first 24-month period begins

 2-4     under Subsection (b) for an individual who completes the initial

 2-5     training program for new chiefs on the first anniversary of the

 2-6     date the individual completed the initial training program.

 2-7           (e)  The institute by rule may provide for the 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 new chief 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) for an individual who 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 Chapter 415, 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.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

2-21           (b)  The Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute

2-22     of Texas shall establish the initial training and continuing

2-23     education programs required by Section 96.641, Education Code, as

2-24     added by this Act, not later than January 1,  1998.

2-25           (c)  Section 96.641(c), Education Code, as added by this Act,

2-26     requiring not fewer than 80 hours of initial training for newly

2-27     appointed or elected police chiefs applies only to an individual

 3-1     newly appointed or elected as police chief on or after January 1,

 3-2     1999.

 3-3           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

 3-4     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 3-5     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 3-6     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 3-7     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.