By Ellis H.B. No. 1256 77R3083 SMJ-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to employment as a peace officer while serving as a 1-3 justice of the peace. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 27, Government Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Section 27.007 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 27.007. EMPLOYMENT AS PEACE OFFICER PROHIBITED. (a) A 1-8 person may not simultaneously be employed as a peace officer listed 1-9 in Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, or other law and hold 1-10 the office of justice of the peace. 1-11 (b) A person who is employed as a peace officer and elected 1-12 or appointed as a justice shall resign from employment as a peace 1-13 officer before the 30th day following the date the person takes 1-14 office as a justice. If the person does not comply with the 1-15 resignation requirement, the person's employment as a peace officer 1-16 is automatically terminated on that 30th day. 1-17 (c) This section does not affect the authority of a justice 1-18 who, when acting in the capacity of a justice, may be considered to 1-19 be a peace officer. 1-20 SECTION 2. (a) This Act takes effect September 1, 2001. 1-21 (b) A person who is employed as a peace officer listed in 1-22 Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, or other law while 1-23 holding the office of justice of the peace on the effective date of 1-24 this Act shall resign either from employment as a peace officer or 2-1 from the office of justice before the 30th day after the effective 2-2 date of this Act. If the person does not comply with the 2-3 resignation requirement, the person's employment as a peace officer 2-4 is automatically terminated on that 30th day.