By Carter                                       H.B. No. 2879

      75R8785 T                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the powers and duties of the Texas Board of Private

 1-3     Investigators and Private Security Agencies.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 11, Private Investigators and Private

 1-6     Security Agencies Act (Article 4413(29bb), Vernon's Texas Civil

 1-7     Statutes), is amended to read as follows:

 1-8           Sec. 11.  Rules of Procedure and Seal.  (a)  The board shall

 1-9     have the following powers and duties:

1-10                 (1)  to determine the qualifications of licensees,

1-11     registrants, and commissioned security officers as provided in this

1-12     Act;

1-13                 (2)  to investigate alleged violations of the

1-14     provisions of this Act and of any rules and regulations adopted by

1-15     the board;

1-16                 (3)  to promulgate all rules and regulations necessary

1-17     in carrying out the provisions of this Act; [and]

1-18                 (4)  to accept gifts and grants from any source to be

1-19     used to carry out the board's duties; and

1-20                 (5) [(4)]  to establish and enforce standards governing

1-21     the safety and conduct of persons licensed, registered, and

1-22     commissioned under the provisions of this Act.

1-23           (b)  The board shall have a seal, the form of which it shall

1-24     prescribe.

 2-1           (c)  The board shall file annually with the governor and the

 2-2     presiding officer of each house of the legislature a complete and

 2-3     detailed written report accounting for all funds received and

 2-4     disbursed by the board in the preceding fiscal year.  The form of

 2-5     the annual report and the reporting time are as provided in the

 2-6     General Appropriations Act.

 2-7           (d)  The board shall recognize, prepare, or administer

 2-8     continuing education programs for private investigators regulated

 2-9     by the board under this Act.  The board shall set the minimum

2-10     number of hours that must be completed and the types of programs

2-11     that may be offered for private investigators regulated by the

2-12     board.  A private investigator regulated by the board shall submit

2-13     evidence of compliance with the board's continuing education

2-14     requirements in a manner prescribed by the board.

2-15           (e)  The board shall adopt policies that provide the public

2-16     with a reasonable opportunity to appear before the board and to

2-17     speak on any issue under the jurisdiction of the board.

2-18           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-19     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-20     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-21     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-22     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.