By: Lucio III (Senate Sponsor - Lucio) H.B. No. 1415
         (In the Senate - Received from the House April 29, 2019;
  April 29, 2019, read first time and referred to Committee on
  Administration; May 8, 2019, reported favorably by the following
  vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 8, 2019, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to continuing education training on civil process for
  constables.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 1701.3545, Occupations Code, is amended
  by amending Subsections (a), (b), and (f) and adding Subsection
  (b-1) to read as follows:
         (a)  A public institution of higher education selected by the
  commission shall establish and offer a program of initial training
  and a program of continuing education for constables. The
  curriculum for each program must relate to law enforcement
  management [and civil process issues]. The institution selected
  under this subsection shall develop the curriculum for the
  programs. The curriculum must be approved by the commission.
         (b)  Each constable must complete at least 40 hours of
  continuing education provided by the selected institution under
  Subsection (a) [this section] each 48-month period. The commission
  by rule shall establish a uniform 48-month continuing education
  training period.
         (b-1)  In addition to the requirements of Subsection (b),
  during each 48-month continuing education training period each
  constable must complete at least 20 hours of continuing education
  instruction on civil process to be provided by a public institution
  of higher education selected by the commission under this
  subsection. The commission shall establish minimum curriculum
  requirements for the continuing education course on civil process
  required by this subsection. The commission may waive the
  continuing education requirements of this subsection if:
               (1)  a constable requests a waiver because of hardship;
  and
               (2)  the commission determines that a hardship exists.
         (f)  An individual who is subject to the continuing education
  requirements of Subsections [Subsection] (b) and (b-1) is exempt
  from other continuing education requirements under this
  subchapter.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
 
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