BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 30

By: West

Homeland Security & Public Safety

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that improving the education and training of citizens and police officers in Texas with regard to traffic stop procedures may help decrease tensions in such circumstances which can lead to arguments, injuries, and even death. S.B. 30 seeks to achieve this goal by including information on interaction with law enforcement in the curriculum for high school students and in driver education and driving safety courses and to include a civilian interaction training program in the minimum curriculum requirements of law enforcement officers.

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 State Board of Education in SECTION 2 of this bill and to the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation in SECTION 3 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 30 amends the Education Code to require the State Board of Education (SBOE) and the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) to enter into a memorandum of understanding that establishes each agency's respective responsibilities in developing instruction on proper interaction with peace officers during traffic stops and other in-person encounters. The bill sets out the topics of information the instruction must include and requires the SBOE and TCOLE to develop the instruction not later than September 1, 2018. The bill authorizes the SBOE and TCOLE to consult with any interested party in developing the instruction and requires the SBOE and TCOLE to provide a reasonable period for public comment before finalizing any instruction. The bill authorizes a public school district or open-enrollment charter school, subject to rules adopted by the SBOE, to tailor the instruction as appropriate for the district's or school's community and requires a district or school to solicit input from local law enforcement agencies, driver training schools, and the community in tailoring that instruction. The bill requires the SBOE to adopt rules to include the instruction on interaction with law enforcement in one or more courses in the required curriculum for students in grade levels 9 through 12, beginning with the 2018-2019 school year.

S.B. 30 requires the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation by rule to require that information relating to law enforcement procedures for traffic stops be included in the curriculum of each driver education course and driving safety course. The bill requires the curriculum to include a demonstration of the proper actions to be taken during a traffic stop and the same topics of information required by the bill to be included in the instruction on interaction with law enforcement. The bill authorizes the commission to consult with any interested party in developing the curriculum and requires the commission to adopt rules regarding the curriculum not later than September 1, 2018.

S.B. 30 amends the Occupations Code to require TCOLE and the SBOE to enter into a memorandum of understanding that establishes each agency's respective responsibilities in developing a training program on proper interaction with civilians during traffic stops and other in-person encounters that includes the same topics of information required by the bill to be included in the instruction on interaction with law enforcement and requires TCOLE and the SBOE to develop the training program not later than September 1, 2018. The bill authorizes TCOLE and the SBOE to consult with any interested party in developing the training program and requires TCOLE and the SBOE to provide a reasonable period for public comment before finalizing a training program.

S.B. 30 requires TCOLE to require a peace officer or reserve law enforcement officer, as part of the minimum curriculum requirements for law enforcement officers, to complete the civilian interaction training program established under the bill and requires such an officer to complete the training program not later than the second anniversary of the date the officer is licensed unless the officer completes the program as part of the officer's basic training course. The bill requires a peace officer or reserve law enforcement officer who holds a license issued by TCOLE on or before January 1, 2018, to complete a civilian interaction training program not later than January 1, 2020.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.