By: Madla S.B. No. 527
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of security forces in certain
metropolitan rapid transit authorities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 451.108, Transportation Code, is amended
to read as follows:
Sec. 451.108. PEACE OFFICERS. (a) An authority may
commission and employ peace officers.
(b) An authority created before 1980 in which the principal
municipality has a population of less than 1.2 million may
establish a security force, employ security personnel, and
commission security personnel as peace officers.
(c) A peace officer commissioned under this section, except
as provided by Subsections (d) and (e) [Subsection (c)], may:
(1) make an arrest in any county in which the transit
authority system is located as necessary to prevent or abate the
commission of an offense against the law of this state or a
political subdivision of this state if the offense or threatened
offense occurs on or involves the transit authority system;
(2) make an arrest for an offense involving injury or
detriment to the transit authority system;
(3) enforce traffic laws and investigate traffic
accidents that involve or occur in the transit authority system;
and
(4) provide emergency and public safety services to
the transit authority system or users of the transit authority
system.
(d) [(c)] A peace officer who holds a commission under this
section from an authority in which the principal municipality has a
population of more than 1.5 million and who has filed with the
authority the oath of a peace officer has all the powers,
privileges, and immunities of peace officers in the counties in
which the transit authority system is located, provides services,
or is supported by a general sales and use tax.
(e) A peace officer who holds a commission under this
section from an authority created before 1980 in which the
principal municipality has a population of less than 1.2 million
and who has filed with the authority the oath of a peace officer has
all the powers, privileges, and immunities of peace officers in the
counties in which the transit authority system is located, provides
services, or is supported by a general sales and use tax while the
peace officer is on the transit authority system property or
performing duties in connection with the transit authority system
or its users.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.