BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center	H.B. 1780
85R7359 JCG-D	By: Dale (Whitmire)
	Criminal Justice
	5/5/2017
	Engrossed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Interested parties point to recent legislation that authorized the Department of Public Safety (DPS) to create a reserve officer corps consisting of retired or previously commissioned DPS officers to be called into service at the public safety director's discretion and express concern over the unnecessary exclusion of highly qualified retired peace officers from other law enforcement agencies throughout Texas. H.B. 1780 seeks to address this concern by expanding eligibility for service as part of the reserve officer corps.

 

H.B. 1780 amends the Government Code to expand the class of officers for whom DPS may establish a reserve officer corps to include any retired or previously commissioned peace officer who retired or resigned in good standing to serve, instead of only retired or previously commissioned DPS officers who retired or so resigned.

 

H.B. 1780 amends current law relating to requirements for membership in the reserve officer corps of the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Section 411.0208(a), Government Code, as added by Chapter 333 (H.B. 11), Acts of the 84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, to authorize the Texas Public Safety Commission to provide for the establishment of a reserve officer corps consisting of retired or previously commissioned peace officers, as defined by Article 2.12 (Who Are Peace Officers), Code of Criminal Procedure, rather than retired or previously commissioned officers of the Texas Department of Public, who retired or resigned in good standing

 

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2017.