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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to police chiefs of certain municipalities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle A, Title 5, Local Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 148 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 148. POLICE CHIEFS OF CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES |
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Sec. 148.001. APPLICABILITY. In this chapter, the term |
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"municipality" means a municipality with a population of more than |
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5,000. |
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Sec. 148.002. OATH. A person appointed as the police chief |
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of a municipality, before beginning to perform the duties of |
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office, must take and subscribe the official oath. |
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Sec. 148.003. QUALIFICATIONS. A person is not eligible to |
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serve as a police chief unless the person: |
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(1) has a high school diploma or a high school |
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equivalency certificate; and |
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(2) is eligible to be licensed under Sections 1701.309 |
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and 1701.312, Occupations Code. |
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Sec. 148.004. CONTINUING EDUCATION. A police chief subject |
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to this chapter shall fulfill all of the continuing education |
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requirements of Section 96.641, Education Code. |
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Sec. 148.005. RETENTION ELECTIONS. After the 60th day |
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after a person is appointed as the police chief of a municipality, |
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the person shall be subject to a nonpartisan election at the |
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upcoming May or November general election, whichever occurs first, |
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to determine whether the person shall retain the office. If the |
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person is retained, the person shall be subject to another |
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retention election the second November after the first election and |
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every two years thereafter. |
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SECTION 2. For the purposes of Section 148.005, Local |
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Government Code, as added by this Act, service as a police chief |
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before January 1, 2016, is not counted in determining whether a |
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person has served as police chief of the same municipality for eight |
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years. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect on the date on which the |
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constitutional amendment proposed by the 84th Legislature, Regular |
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Session, 2015, providing for retention elections for police chiefs |
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of certain municipalities takes effect. If that amendment is not |
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approved by the voters, this Act has no effect. |