BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	C.S.S.B. 2127
86R23871 JCG-D	By: Creighton
	Veteran Affairs & Border Security
	4/9/2019
	Committee Report (Substituted)

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Illegal activities on the Texas/Mexico border have created a high demand for law enforcement personnel. These illegal activities include entering the United States illegally as well as the trafficking of people and drugs through Texas communities. In order to meet this need, S.B. 2127 establishes a voluntary training program that will allow local law enforcement officers to gain valuable experience on human trafficking and drug detection and intervention while helping the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas with daily operations along the border. (Original Author's/Sponsor's Statement of Intent)

C.S.S.B. 2127 amends current law relating to a border volunteer training program for peace officers employed by local law enforcement agencies.

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 Subchapter A, Chapter 411, by adding Section 411.02096, as follows:

Sec. 411.02096. BORDER VOLUNTEER TRAINING PROGRAM; COMMISSION. (a) Requires the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas (DPS), in coordination with local law enforcement agencies, to establish and administer a border volunteer training program for peace officers employed by local law enforcement agencies that will prepare the officers to:

(1) collaborate and cooperate with and assist any law enforcement agency in the interdiction, investigation, and prosecution of criminal activity in the Texas‑Mexico border region; and

(2) collaborate and cooperate with and assist district attorneys, county attorneys, the border prosecution unit, and other prosecutors in the investigation and prosecution of allegations of criminal activity in the Texas‑Mexico border region.

(b) Requires the training program under Subsection (a) to include:

(1) information on criminal activity occurring along the Texas‑Mexico border, including drug trafficking and trafficking of persons and other activity carried out by cartels, transnational gangs, and other groups engaged in organized criminal activity;

(2) best practices for investigating and prosecuting the criminal activity described by Subdivision (1) and securing the Texas‑Mexico border; and

(3) an overview of DPS's operations at the Texas‑Mexico border, including any collaboration with United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

(c) Authorizes DPS, if a peace officer described by Subsection (a) successfully completes the training program under this section and volunteers to assist DPS and CBP with securing the Texas‑Mexico border, to commission the officer as an officer of DPS and deploy the officer to assist DPS and, as applicable, CBP, in securing the Texas‑Mexico border.

(d) Provides that a commission under Subsection (c) expires as determined by DPS. Provides that DPS is not required to comply with Section 1701.303 (License Application; Duties of Appointing Entity), Occupations Code, with respect to a peace officer commissioned under Subsection (c).

(e) Provides that a volunteer peace officer deployed by DPS under Subsection (c) is not entitled to compensation for the assistance provided.

SECTION 2. Amends Subchapter H, Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, by adding Section 1701.359, as follows:

Sec. 1701.359. BORDER VOLUNTEER TRAINING PROGRAM. Authorizes the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) to:

(1) recognize, or with the consent of DPS administer, the border volunteer training program established under Section 411.02096, Government Code, as a continuing education program for officers; and

(2) credit an officer who successfully completes the program described by Subdivision (1) with the appropriate number of continuing education hours.

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2019.