BILL ANALYSIS
By: Thompson
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Currently, the Occupations Code deals with education and training requirements for peace officers. Human trafficking is a problem all across Texas from border areas to urban centers and it may not be immediately clear that a victim of human trafficking has been brought across against their will. However, there is no mandatory standard which requires a peace officer to have basic training or go through an education program which deals with the offense of human trafficking or how to collect proper evidence and documentation. Therefore, this law proposes to amend the Occupations Code by establishing an educational training program on human trafficking to be used by law enforcement training officials.
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
Committee Substitute to House Bill 3372 adds Section 1701.2535 to the Occupations Code which requires the Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education (commission) to design and establish a one-time basic education and training program and an advanced education and training program relating to human trafficking. Each program must include a review of the substance of Sections 20A.02 and 43.05, Penal Code. The basic education and training program must consist of at least four hours of training and must be made available through at least two alternative methods which includes live, online, video, and regional distance learning presentations. The basic education and training program is mandatory for each peace officer and the advanced education and training must be made available on a voluntary basis.
A peace officer who holds a license issued by the commission before September 1, 2007, must complete the basic education and training program not later than September 1, 2012. This requirement expires on September 1, 2013.
The commission must begin offering the programs no later than January 1, 2008. This requirement expires on September 1, 2008.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2007.
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
The substitute adds a new section in the Occupations Code, instead of adding subsections to Section 1701.352, Occupations Code, as in the original bill and removes changes to the Education Code that were in the original bill.
The substitute requires the commission to design and establish a one-time basic education and training program and an advanced education and training program relating to human trafficking, and offer the programs no later than January 1, 2008. The original required the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas to design and establish this program, and begin offering it no later than January 1, 2008.
The substitute requires that the basic education and training program consist of at least four hours of training and be made available through at least two alternative methods which includes live, online, video, and regional distance learning presentations. The original bill did not include these requirements.