BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 486
80R2066 ACP-F By: Driver (Hegar)
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Under current law, chiefs of police undergo a 24-month training period based upon their graduation date from initial training. Each new graduating class creates a new, unique 24-month training time period. All other peace officers, including the officers that chiefs of police supervise, are on a standard 24-month training period which begins on September 1 of odd-numbered years and ends on August 31 of odd-numbered years. Chiefs of police often neglect to satisfy their continuing education requirements due to the mistaken assumption that their 24-month cycle is in sync with all other peace officers. Since satisfaction of the continuing education requirement is mandatory, the Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education is required to expire a chief of police's license and begin revocation proceedings when a chief of police fails to meet this requirement.
H.B. 486 requires the Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education to establish a uniform 24-month continuing education period for chiefs of police to begin on the first day of the first uniform continuing education training period following the date the individual completed the initial training period.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Sections 96.641(b) and (d), Education Code, as follows:
(b) Requires the Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education (commission) by rule to establish a uniform 24-month continuing education training period.
(d) Provides that the initial training program for new chiefs of police is in addition to the initial training and continuing education required by Chapter 1701 (Law Enforcement Officers), Occupations Code, rather than Chapter 415, Government Code. Requires the commission by rule to establish that the first continuing education training period for an individual under Subsection (b) begins on the first day of the uniform continuing education training period that follows. Deletes existing text regarding the initial training period.
SECTION 2. Requires the commission by rule to provide an orderly transition for chiefs of police to a uniform continuing education training period under Section 29.641, as amended by this Act.
SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2007.