Honorable Sid Miller, Chair, House Committee on Homeland Security & Public Safety
FROM:
John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB348 by Walle (Relating to education and training for school district peace officers, school resource officers, and school security personnel employed by a school district.), As Introduced
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB348, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($50,400) through the biennium ending August 31, 2013.
Fiscal Year
Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2012
($46,400)
2013
($4,000)
2014
($4,000)
2015
($14,000)
2016
($4,000)
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
2012
($46,400)
2013
($4,000)
2014
($4,000)
2015
($14,000)
2016
($4,000)
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend the Occupations Code by requiring peace officers to complete 20 hours of education and training administered by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education (TCLEOSE) before the officer could serve as a school resource officer. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) would be required to develop the training curriculum in consultation with the TCLEOSE. TCLEOSE would have to approve the training prior to administration of the program and TCLEOSE would be responsible for providing this continuing education, which could be provided online.
The bill would amend the Education Code, by requiring that a person successfully complete the education and training program prior to employment as security personnel for a school district. The bill would require persons employed or under contract as security personnel for a school district to complete the required continuing education to remain employed as security personnel by a school district.
The bill would require TEA to develop the curriculum for the required education and training program by December 31, 2011 and would require TCLEOSE to adopt rules for the administration of the education and training program by March 31, 2012.
The bill would amend the Occupations Code and Education Code by making the proposed education and training program apply only to school district peace officers, school resource officers, and school security personnel who were initially appointed, commissioned, or employed by a school district on or after March 31, 2012. School district peace officers or school resource officers serving immediately before the effective date of this bill would not be required to comply with continuing education requirements for a license renewal that occurred before January 1, 2014. Security personnel employed by a school district immediately before the effective date of this bill would not be required to complete the continuing education requirement as a condition of continued employment as security personnel before January 1, 2014
Methodology
The bill would have a fiscal impact on TCLEOSE by requiring resources and FTEs to be spent on course development of $6,400 in the first year and $4,000 in subsequent years.TEA would be required to develop, in consultation with the TCLEOSE, the curriculum for the 20-hour training program, which could be provided online. For purposes of this cost estimate, TEA assumes that the program would be provided online. TEA is currently contracting with various entities to develop 90-clock-hour online courses for $200,000 each. Based on these contract costs, the estimated cost for one clock hour of training is $2,000, and the total estimated cost to develop the 20-hour online training program is $40,000 in FY 2012. TEA would also be required to review the training program, in consultation with TCLEOSE, at least once every two years. It is assumed that the first review would occur in FY 2014 and that updates to the training program would be made in FY 2015. Assuming that approximately 25 percent of the curriculum and training program would be updated, the estimated cost to update the curriculum and online training is $10,000 in FY 2015.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
407 Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education, 701 Central Education Agency