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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to physical fitness and appearance standards for certain |
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state law enforcement officers. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 614, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter H to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER H. STANDARDS FOR CERTAIN LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS |
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Sec. 614.151. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Law enforcement agency" means the Department of |
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Public Safety, Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, Texas |
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Department of Criminal Justice, and Parks and Wildlife Department. |
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(2) "Law enforcement officer" means a person who: |
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(A) is a commissioned peace officer; |
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(B) is employed by a law enforcement agency; and |
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(C) is compensated according to Schedule C of the |
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position classification salary schedule prescribed by the General |
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Appropriations Act. |
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Sec. 614.152. PHYSICAL FITNESS AND APPEARANCE STANDARDS. |
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(a) Out of appropriated funds, each law enforcement agency shall |
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adopt physical fitness and appearance standards that a law |
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enforcement officer must meet to continue employment with the |
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agency as a law enforcement officer. The standards adopted by a law |
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enforcement agency other than the Department of Public Safety must |
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be at least as stringent as the standards adopted by the Department |
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of Public Safety. Except as provided by Subsection (b), a violation |
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of a standard adopted under this subsection is just cause to |
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discharge an officer or transfer an officer to a position that is |
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not compensated according to Schedule C of the position |
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classification salary schedule prescribed by the General |
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Appropriations Act. |
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(b) A law enforcement agency may exempt a law enforcement |
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officer from a standard under Subsection (a) based on the facts and |
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circumstances of the individual case, including whether an officer |
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was injured in the line of duty. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than November 1, 2007, the Department |
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of Public Safety of the State of Texas, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage |
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Commission, and the Parks and Wildlife Department shall each adopt |
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the standards required by Section 614.152, Government Code, as |
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added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |