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BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

 

S.B. 1975

By: Whitmire

Homeland Security & Public Safety

Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Interested parties contend that it would be beneficial to establish a committee to help plan, facilitate, and oversee the various ceremonies held to honor Texas peace officers killed in the line of duty. S.B. 1975 seeks to establish the Texas Peace Officers' Memorial Ceremony Committee for those purposes.

 

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

 

ANALYSIS

 

S.B. 1975 amends the Government Code to establish the Texas Peace Officers' Memorial Ceremony Committee to plan, oversee, and facilitate annual ceremonies recognizing and honoring Texas peace officers who were killed in the line of duty. The bill provides for the committee's membership, including the designation of certain state officers as nonvoting members. The bill requires the committee to meet as necessary to plan and coordinate an annual memorial ceremony on the Capitol grounds to honor Texas peace officers who were killed in the line of duty during which the name of each peace officer who is being added to the Texas Peace Officer's Memorial Monument in that year must be read and the surviving family members of the peace officer must be recognized. The bill requires the committee to hold the ceremony on a date selected by the committee during the week in which May 8 occurs and authorizes the ceremony to be funded by public or private money. The bill requires a ceremony held in an odd-numbered year to include a parade of law enforcement color guards and personnel ending at the Capitol and a ceremony held during a joint session of the legislature on the floor of the house of representatives, if possible.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

September 1, 2017.