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78R6593 KEG-F
By: Ellis S.B. No. 1042
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to domestic preparedness training programs for certain law
enforcement officers.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, is
amended by adding Section 1701.258 to read as follows:
Sec. 1701.258. DOMESTIC PREPAREDNESS TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR
LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS. (a) In this section:
(1) "Domestic preparedness training" means training
for law enforcement personnel that relates to:
(A) preparing to respond and responding to
weapons of mass destruction;
(B) identifying and disposing of unexploded
weaponry; or
(C) managing, preparing to respond to, and
responding to a terrorist incident.
(2) "Law enforcement department" means:
(A) the Department of Public Safety of the State
of Texas; and
(B) a department of a municipality, county, port
authority, navigation district, or airport authority that:
(i) employs persons who are certified by
the commission as peace officers; and
(ii) has jurisdiction that includes an
airport that services a commercial airline carrier or a seaport.
(b) Subject to available funding, a law enforcement
department shall implement a program of domestic preparedness
training for its law enforcement officers that includes
instructional or informational domestic preparedness training
courses certified by the commission.
(c) The commission shall apply for federal funding
available for domestic preparedness training of law enforcement
officers. If the commission obtains a federal grant for domestic
preparedness training of law enforcement officers, the commission
shall:
(1) develop requirements, including requirements for
sponsors and curriculum, and procedures for domestic preparedness
training courses to be certified by the commission;
(2) review and certify appropriate domestic
preparedness training courses that meet the commission's
requirements and procedures for certification;
(3) not later than February 1 of each year, allocate to
law enforcement departments federal grant money to assist the law
enforcement departments in implementing domestic preparedness
training programs under this section; and
(4) provide other appropriate assistance to law
enforcement departments to assist them in implementing domestic
preparedness training programs under this section.
(d) The commission shall administer a grant program under
this section in accordance with federal and state guidelines and
may not use more than three percent of the grant funds for
administration of the grant program.
(e) A law enforcement department must, on request of the
commission, provide timely information to help the commission
determine the appropriate allocation of funding under this section
for that law enforcement department.
(f) The head of a law enforcement department must maintain a
complete and detailed written record of any federal money related
to domestic preparedness training that the law enforcement
department receives from the commission and is required to spend in
accordance with this section. The commission may audit any funding
received under this section by a law enforcement department for a
domestic preparedness training program. The state auditor may
audit any money spent by a law enforcement department for a domestic
preparedness training program under this section.
SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2004, the Commission on
Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education shall:
(1) apply for federal funding available for domestic
preparedness training of law enforcement officers as required by
Section 1701.258, Occupations Code, as added by this Act;
(2) develop procedures to administer a federal grant
program for domestic preparedness training of law enforcement
officers in accordance with that section; and
(3) develop requirements and procedures for
certification of appropriate domestic preparedness training
courses as required by that section.
SECTION 3. Not later than March 1, 2004, the Commission on
Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education shall review and
certify appropriate domestic preparedness training courses
available through Texas A&M University's Texas Engineering
Extension Service and its National Emergency Response and Rescue
Training Center that meet the requirements and procedures for
certification developed by the commission.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2003.