S.B. 801 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS S.B. 801 By: Madla Law Enforcement Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law, the Dallas, Tarrant, and Bexar County Hospital Districts have the authority to employ and commission peace officers. However, the jurisdiction of these districts is not clearly expressed. Senate Bill 801 allows prompt response to situations which may place the security of the facilities at risk or which may otherwise hinder access to and from the facilities by providing that the jurisdiction of a peace officer commissioned by the Dallas, Tarrant, or Bexar County Hospital Districts includes the property owned or controlled by the district and any street abutting, right-ofway over or through, or easement in the property. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS Senate Bill 801 amends Section 281.057, Health and Safety Code, to provide that the jurisdiction of a peace officer commissioned under this section includes the property owned or controlled by the hospital district that employs the peace officer and any street abutting, right-of-way over or through, or easement in the property. The bill also provides that in a district peace officer's jurisdiction, the peace officer has the authority granted by Chapter 14 (Arrest Without Warrant), Code of Criminal Procedure, and district peace officers are no longer required to have a warrant to make an arrest if the offense involves injury or harm to any property owned or controlled by the district. The bill removes language that authorizes district peace officers to make an arrest if the arrest is necessary to prevent or abate the commission of a criminal offense and the offense or threatened offense occurs on any land, easement, right-of-way, or other property owned or controlled by the district. EFFECTIVE DATE Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2003.