By Moreno of El Paso H.B. No. 1977 76R6031 KLA-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the establishment in certain municipalities of boards 1-3 to receive and act on complaints of police misconduct. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subtitle A, Title 5, Local Government Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Chapter 145 to read as follows: 1-7 CHAPTER 145. COMMUNITY RELATIONS BOARDS 1-8 IN CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES 1-9 Sec. 145.001. COMMUNITY RELATIONS BOARD. The governing body 1-10 of a municipality with a population of more than 200,000 may 1-11 establish a community relations board as prescribed by this chapter 1-12 to receive and dispose of complaints filed against police officers 1-13 as provided by this chapter. 1-14 Sec. 145.002. COMPOSITION OF BOARD. (a) The board is 1-15 composed of seven municipal residents appointed by the 1-16 municipality's governing body. The board must include: 1-17 (1) a person who is an officer of at least the rank of 1-18 captain or its equivalent in the municipality's police department; 1-19 (2) an attorney licensed to practice law in this 1-20 state; and 1-21 (3) a physician licensed by this state. 1-22 (b) The governing body of a municipality that establishes a 1-23 board under this chapter shall appoint persons to the board so that 1-24 the racial and ethnic backgrounds of the various board members 2-1 reflect the proportional representation of the various racial and 2-2 ethnic groups in the municipality's population. 2-3 (c) Except for the initial members, members of the board 2-4 serve two-year terms that expire on February 1 of each odd-numbered 2-5 year. The initial members serve terms expiring on the first 2-6 February 1 of an odd-numbered year following the date the members 2-7 qualify for office. Board members may not receive compensation for 2-8 service on the board but may be reimbursed for actual expenses 2-9 incurred on board business as provided by the governing body of the 2-10 municipality. 2-11 Sec. 145.003. APPELLATE JURISDICTION OF BOARD. (a) In a 2-12 municipality that has an internal affairs division or similar body 2-13 in its police department that receives complaints within the 2-14 board's jurisdiction, a complaint must be filed originally with the 2-15 internal affairs division or similar body. A person who is 2-16 dissatisfied with the department's disposition of the complaint may 2-17 appeal to the board. 2-18 (b) After final disposition of a complaint by an internal 2-19 affairs division or similar body, the department shall give the 2-20 person who filed the complaint written notice that: 2-21 (1) the complaint has been resolved and the manner in 2-22 which it was resolved; 2-23 (2) the person may appeal to the board if the person 2-24 is dissatisfied with the department's disposition of the matter; 2-25 and 2-26 (3) the person must file any appeal with the board 2-27 within the period provided by Subsection (c). 3-1 (c) An appeal under Subsection (a) must be filed not later 3-2 than the 30th day after the date the person receives written notice 3-3 that the internal affairs division or similar body has made a final 3-4 disposition of the matter. In an appeal under this subsection, 3-5 board review is de novo. However, the action taken by the 3-6 department is not suspended by the appeal. 3-7 Sec. 145.004. ORIGINAL JURISDICTION OF BOARD. (a) In a 3-8 municipality that does not have an internal affairs division or 3-9 similar body in its police department and in which a community 3-10 relations board has been established under this chapter, a person 3-11 who believes that a police officer of the municipality used 3-12 excessive force or abused the officer's authority in the discharge 3-13 or purported discharge of the officer's duties may file a written 3-14 complaint with the board. The complaint must be filed not later 3-15 than the 90th day after the date the act that is the subject of the 3-16 complaint occurred. 3-17 (b) The board shall send a copy of the complaint to the 3-18 accused officer as soon as practicable after it is received. The 3-19 officer may file a written statement in the officer's defense. 3-20 (c) After a complaint is filed with the board, the board 3-21 shall give each party written notice that: 3-22 (1) the party is entitled to a hearing on the 3-23 complaint; and 3-24 (2) any request for a hearing must be made to the 3-25 board not later than the ninth day after the date the party 3-26 receives the notice required by this subsection. 3-27 (d) The accused officer or the person who filed the 4-1 complaint is entitled to a hearing on the complaint if the officer 4-2 or the person makes a timely request for a hearing. A request from 4-3 a party is timely if it is made within the period required by 4-4 Subsection (c). The board at any time may order a hearing on its 4-5 own motion. 4-6 (e) The board shall notify the parties of the date, time, 4-7 and place of a hearing not later than the 14th day before the date 4-8 the hearing is held. 4-9 Sec. 145.005. CONDUCT OF PROCEEDINGS. (a) A party may be 4-10 represented by counsel in any part of a proceeding held under this 4-11 chapter. 4-12 (b) The board shall conduct the proceedings as informally as 4-13 possible, consistent with the principles of due process of law. 4-14 (c) On hearing a complaint or, if no hearing is held, on 4-15 examining all evidence submitted to it, the board shall decide on 4-16 the merits of the complaint and issue a written opinion. The board 4-17 may: 4-18 (1) order the suspension, demotion, or discharge of 4-19 the police officer; 4-20 (2) issue a reprimand; or 4-21 (3) exonerate the officer of the charge. 4-22 (d) A board opinion must be signed by those members of the 4-23 board who support it. 4-24 Sec. 145.006. BOARD MAY ADOPT RULES. The board may adopt 4-25 rules to govern its proceedings under this chapter. 4-26 Sec. 145.007. EFFECT OF CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION DECISION. 4-27 If a municipality has a civil service commission, and that 5-1 commission issues a decision that is inconsistent with a community 5-2 relations board's disposition of a complaint based on the same act, 5-3 the board's decision prevails. 5-4 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and 5-5 applies only to an act committed or alleged to have been committed 5-6 by a law enforcement officer on or after that date. 5-7 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 5-8 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 5-9 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 5-10 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 5-11 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.