1-1     By:  Staples, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Nixon)          H.B. No. 722
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House April 26, 1999;
 1-3     April 27, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on
 1-4     Natural Resources; May 14, 1999, reported favorably by the
 1-5     following vote:  Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 14, 1999, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to the number of certified peace officers employed by the
 1-9     Texas Forest Service.
1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11           SECTION 1.  Section 88.103, Education Code, is amended to
1-12     read as follows:
1-13           Sec. 88.103.  ENFORCEMENT; APPOINTMENT OF PEACE OFFICERS.
1-14     The director may appoint not to exceed 25 [12] employees of the
1-15     Texas Forest Service who are certified by the Commission on Law
1-16     Enforcement Officer  Standards and Education as qualified to be
1-17     peace officers to serve as peace officers under his direction in
1-18     executing the enforcement duties of that agency.  The appointments
1-19     must be approved by the board which shall commission the appointees
1-20     as peace officers.  Any officer commissioned under this section is
1-21     vested with all the powers, privileges, and immunities of peace
1-22     officers in the performance of his duties.  The officer shall take
1-23     the oath required of peace officers and shall execute a good and
1-24     sufficient bond in the sum of $5,000, payable to the governor and
1-25     his successors in office, with two or more good and sufficient
1-26     personal sureties or with one corporate surety authorized to do
1-27     business in Texas, conditioned that he will fairly, impartially,
1-28     and faithfully perform all the duties that may be required of him
1-29     by law.  The bond may be sued on in the name of any person injured
1-30     until the whole amount of the bond is recovered.
1-31           SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-32     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-33     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-34     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-35     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
1-36     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
1-37     passage, and it is so enacted.
1-38                                  * * * * *