1-1           By:  Gallegos                                    S.B. No. 272

 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed January 22, 1997; January 27, 1997,

 1-3     read first time and referred to Committee on Intergovernmental

 1-4     Relations; February 17, 1997, reported adversely, with favorable

 1-5     Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 0;

 1-6     February 17, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-7     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 272                 By:  Gallegos

 1-8                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-9                                   AN ACT

1-10     relating to complaints against police officers and fire fighters.

1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-12           SECTION 1.  Section 614.021, Government Code, is amended to

1-13     read as follows:

1-14           Sec. 614.021.  Applicability of Subchapter.  This subchapter

1-15     applies only to a complaint against:

1-16                 (1)  a law enforcement officer of the State of Texas,

1-17     including an officer of the Department of Public Safety or of the

1-18     Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission;

1-19                 (2)  a fire fighter [who is not covered by a civil

1-20     service statute]; or

1-21                 (3)  a police officer [who is not covered by a civil

1-22     service statute].

1-23           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-24     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-25     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-26     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-27     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-28     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

1-29     passage, and it is so enacted.

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