BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

                                                                                                                                             H.B. 486

                                                                                                                                           By: Driver

                                                                                                                               Law Enforcement

                                                                                                       Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

The current law creates a unique 24 month training period for new chiefs of police based upon their date of graduation from initial training.  Therefore, each graduating class creates a new and unique 24 month training period.  All other peace officers, including the officers that these chiefs supervise, are on a standard statewide 24 month training period which begins on September 1 of odd years, and ends on August 31 of odd years.

 

As proposed, H.B. 486 requires Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education to establish a uniform 24 month continuing education training period for police chiefs that begins on the first day of the first uniform continuing education training period that follows the date that the individual completed the initial training period as described in Education Code Section 96.641 (d).

 

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education in Sections 1 and 2 of this bill. 

 

 

ANALYSIS

 

H.B. 486 Amends Education Code Section 96.641 by requiring the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education by rule to establish a uniform 24-month continuing education training period for chiefs of police.  The 24-month continuing education training period begins on the first day of the first uniform continuing education training period that follows the date that the individual completed the initial training program.  The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education is required by rule to provide an orderly transition for chiefs of police to a uniform continuing education training period.  The bill also amends Education Code Section 96.641 (d) by changing “415, Government Code” to “1701, Occupations Code.”

 

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

Upon passage, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2007.