BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1545

By: Clardy

Homeland Security & Public Safety

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note that in high schools across the state, many students have access to courses that directly relate to law enforcement. H.B. 1545 seeks to assist students seeking a career in law enforcement by requiring the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement to establish a procedure under which credit hours earned for the successful completion of such high school courses can be counted toward the hours of training required of an applicant for a peace officer license.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement in SECTION 1 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1545 amends the Occupations Code to require the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) to adopt not later than December 1, 2017, rules that establish a procedure under which credit hours earned for the successful completion of high school courses that directly relate to law enforcement can be counted toward the hours of training required of an applicant for a peace officer license. The bill requires those rules to require an applicant to submit a high school transcript to TCOLE that indicates the applicant earned an endorsement in the public services category.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.