By Carona                                        S.B. No. 651

      75R3506 JRD-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to complaints against peace officers and certain

 1-3     firefighters.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 614.021, Government Code, is amended to

 1-6     read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 614.021.  APPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER; DEFINITION.  (a)

 1-8     This subchapter applies only to a complaint against:

 1-9                 (1)  a law enforcement officer of the State of Texas,

1-10     including an officer of the Department of Public Safety or of the

1-11     Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission;

1-12                 (2)  a fire fighter who is not covered by a civil

1-13     service statute; or

1-14                 (3)  a police officer [who is not covered by a civil

1-15     service statute].

1-16           (b)  In this subchapter, "police officer" means a person who

1-17     is a peace officer under Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure,

1-18     or other law, and who is employed by a political subdivision of the

1-19     state.

1-20           SECTION 2.  Section 614.022, Government Code, is amended to

1-21     read as follows:

1-22           Sec. 614.022.  COMPLAINT TO BE IN WRITING, UNDER OATH, AND

1-23     SIGNED BY COMPLAINANT.  To be considered by the head of a state

1-24     agency or by the head of a fire or police department, the complaint

 2-1     must be:

 2-2                 (1)  made under oath;

 2-3                 (2)  made in writing; and

 2-4                 (3) [(2)]  signed by the person making the complaint.

 2-5           SECTION 3.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to

 2-6     a complaint made against a peace officer or firefighter on or after

 2-7     the effective date of this Act.

 2-8           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-9     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-10     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-11     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-12     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

2-13     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

2-14     passage, and it is so enacted.