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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relat |
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ing to a prohibition on the sale or transfer of certain law |
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enforcement vehicles before removal of certain equipment and |
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insignia. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 2175, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 2175.908 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 2175.908. SALE OR TRANSFER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT VEHICLE. |
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(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), the commission or another |
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state agency, including an agency delegated the authority to |
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dispose of surplus or salvage property under Section 2175.065, may |
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not sell or transfer a marked patrol car or other law enforcement |
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motor vehicle to the public unless the state agency first removes |
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any equipment or insignia that could mislead a reasonable person to |
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believe that the vehicle is a law enforcement motor vehicle, |
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including any police light, siren, amber warning light, spotlight, |
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grill light, antenna, emblem, outline of an emblem, and emergency |
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vehicle equipment. |
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(b) The commission or another state agency, including an |
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agency delegated the authority to dispose of surplus or salvage |
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property under Section 2175.065, may not sell or transfer a marked |
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patrol car or other law enforcement motor vehicle to a security |
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services contractor who is regulated by the Department of Public |
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Safety and licensed under Chapter 1702, Occupations Code, unless |
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each emblem or insignia that identifies the vehicle as a law |
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enforcement motor vehicle is removed before the sale or transfer. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter Z, Chapter 341, Local Government |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 341.9045 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 341.9045. SALE OR TRANSFER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT VEHICLE. |
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(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a municipality may not |
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sell or transfer a marked patrol car or other municipal law |
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enforcement motor vehicle to the public unless the municipality |
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first removes any equipment or insignia that could mislead a |
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reasonable person to believe that the vehicle is a law enforcement |
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motor vehicle, including any police light, siren, amber warning |
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light, spotlight, grill light, antenna, emblem, outline of an |
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emblem, and emergency vehicle equipment. |
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(b) A municipality may not sell or transfer a marked patrol |
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car or other municipal law enforcement motor vehicle to a security |
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services contractor who is regulated by the Department of Public |
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Safety and licensed under Chapter 1702, Occupations Code, unless |
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each emblem or insignia that identifies the vehicle as a law |
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enforcement motor vehicle is removed before the sale or transfer. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter Z, Chapter 351, Local Government |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 351.905 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 351.905. SALE OR TRANSFER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT VEHICLE. |
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(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a county may not sell or |
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transfer a marked patrol car or other county law enforcement motor |
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vehicle to the public unless the county first removes any equipment |
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or insignia that could mislead a reasonable person to believe that |
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the vehicle is a law enforcement motor vehicle, including any |
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police light, siren, amber warning light, spotlight, grill light, |
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antenna, emblem, outline of an emblem, and emergency vehicle |
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equipment. |
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(b) A county may not sell or transfer a marked patrol car or |
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other county law enforcement motor vehicle to a security services |
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contractor who is regulated by the Department of Public Safety and |
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licensed under Chapter 1702, Occupations Code, unless each emblem |
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or insignia that identifies the vehicle as a law enforcement motor |
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vehicle is removed before the sale or transfer. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |