87R8809 MAW-D
 
  By: Crockett H.B. No. 3723
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to misconduct and standards of conduct applicable to
  certain persons licensed by the Texas Commission on Law
  Enforcement.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 2, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended by adding Articles 2.1397 and 2.1398 to read as follows:
         Art. 2.1397.  PEACE OFFICER AND JAILER STANDARDS OF CONDUCT.
  (a) In this article, "law enforcement agency" means an agency of
  the state or an agency of a political subdivision of the state
  authorized by law to employ peace officers. The term includes a
  sheriff.
         (b)  Each law enforcement agency in this state shall adopt
  the standards of conduct for peace officers or county jailers, as
  applicable, developed by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement
  under Section 1701.166, Occupations Code.
         (c)  A law enforcement agency may tailor the contents of the
  applicable standards as necessary based on the agency's size,
  jurisdiction, and resources.
         Art. 2.1398.  DUTIES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY REGARDING
  MISCONDUCT. (a) In this article, "law enforcement agency" means an
  agency of the state or an agency of a political subdivision of the
  state authorized by law to employ peace officers. The term includes
  a sheriff.
         (b)  The chief administrator of a law enforcement agency in
  this state shall report to the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement
  each allegation that a person licensed under Chapter 1701,
  Occupations Code, and employed by the agency engaged in any
  improper or unlawful acts, including:
               (1)  being convicted of, placed on deferred
  adjudication for, or entering a plea of guilty or nolo contendere to
  any offense other than a misdemeanor punishable by fine only;
               (2)  engaging in conduct that would constitute any
  offense other than a misdemeanor punishable by fine only;
               (3)  falsifying a police report or evidence in a
  criminal investigation;
               (4)  destroying evidence in a criminal investigation;
               (5)  using excessive force on multiple occasions;
               (6)  accepting a bribe;
               (7)  engaging in fraud;
               (8)  unlawfully using a controlled substance;
               (9)  engaging in an act for which the officer is liable
  under 42 U.S.C. Section 1983;
               (10)  committing perjury;
               (11)  making, submitting, or filing, or causing to be
  submitted or filed, a false report to the Texas Commission on Law
  Enforcement;
               (12)  misusing an official position or
  misappropriating property;
               (13)  engaging in an unprofessional relationship with
  an individual arrested or detained, or in the custody of a
  correctional facility;
               (14)  committing sexual harassment involving physical
  contact; or
               (15)  misusing criminal history record information.
         (c)  A report required under Subsection (b) must be in
  writing on a form prescribed by the Texas Commission on Law
  Enforcement and submitted not later than the 15th day after the date
  the law enforcement agency is made aware of the allegation.
         (d)  The chief administrator of the law enforcement agency
  shall update any report submitted under Subsection (b) after the
  agency's investigation into the allegation is concluded. The
  updated report must include any disciplinary action taken against
  the license holder, including whether the license holder was
  terminated or if the license holder resigned, retired, or separated
  in lieu of termination.
         (e)  On a finding by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement
  that the chief administrator of a law enforcement agency
  intentionally failed to submit a report required under Subsection
  (b), the commission shall begin disciplinary proceedings against
  the chief administrator.
         SECTION 2.  Section 1701.151, Occupations Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         Sec. 1701.151.  GENERAL POWERS OF COMMISSION; RULEMAKING
  AUTHORITY. The commission may:
               (1)  adopt rules for the administration of this chapter
  and for the commission's internal management and control;
               (2)  establish minimum standards relating to
  competence and reliability, including education, training,
  physical, mental, and moral standards, for licensing as an officer,
  county jailer, public security officer, or telecommunicator;
               (3)  report to the governor and legislature on the
  commission's activities, with recommendations on matters under the
  commission's jurisdiction, and make other reports that the
  commission considers desirable;
               (4)  require a state agency or a county, special
  district, or municipality in this state that employs officers,
  telecommunicators, or county jailers to submit reports and
  information;
               (5)  contract as the commission considers necessary for
  services, facilities, studies, and reports required for:
                     (A)  cooperation with municipal, county, special
  district, state, and federal law enforcement agencies in training
  programs; and
                     (B)  performance of the commission's other
  functions, including the operation of the database under Section
  1701.165; and
               (6)  conduct research and stimulate research by public
  and private agencies to improve law enforcement and police
  administration.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter D, Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, is
  amended by adding Sections 1701.165 and 1701.166 to read as
  follows:
         Sec. 1701.165.  DATABASE OF LICENSE HOLDER MISCONDUCT. (a)
  The commission shall establish an electronic database for
  information concerning license holder misconduct to provide for the
  collection and analysis of information by the commission. The
  commission shall:
               (1)  allow law enforcement agencies in this state to
  electronically access the database for purposes of obtaining
  information related to the following concerning a license holder:
                     (A)  hiring;
                     (B)  disciplinary actions;
                     (C)  resignations or terminations; and
                     (D)  certification and training;
               (2)  adopt policies and procedures under which
  specified personnel of a law enforcement agency may access the
  database for a purpose described by Subdivision (1), including
  establishing qualifications for access; and
               (3)  distribute the policies and procedures adopted
  under Subdivision (2) to law enforcement agencies in this state.
         (b)  The commission shall include in the database reports
  submitted to the commission under Article 2.1398, Code of Criminal
  Procedure.
         (c)  The commission shall prescribe and make available to law
  enforcement agencies in this state a form to be used for submitting
  a report of an allegation of misconduct to the database. The form
  must require the law enforcement agency to report:
               (1)  the license holder's:
                     (A)  date of hire;
                     (B)  position; and
                     (C)  identifying characteristics; and
               (2)  detailed information concerning:
                     (A)  the nature of the misconduct; and
                     (B)  the disposition of the allegation.
         (d)  The commission is not liable for civil damages for
  providing information contained in the database if the commission
  released the information as provided by this section and the
  procedures adopted by the commission under this section. A law
  enforcement agency, agency head, or other law enforcement official
  is not liable for civil damages for submitting a report to the
  database if the report is made in good faith.
         (e)  Any allegation of misconduct reported to the database is
  not considered final until all applicable appeals have been
  exhausted or waived by the license holder named in the allegation.
         (f)  The commission shall adopt appropriate measures to
  ensure the security of the database in accordance with applicable
  state or federal laws or rules.
         (g)  Information maintained in the database is confidential
  and not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code.
         Sec. 1701.166.  STANDARDS OF CONDUCT. (a) The commission by
  rule shall prescribe standards of conduct for officers, county
  jailers, and school marshals.
         (b)  The standards of conduct must establish best practices
  with respect to the following as appropriate for the type of
  license:
               (1)  professionalism;
               (2)  sexual harassment;
               (3)  sexual assault;
               (4)  domestic violence;
               (5)  any criminal offense against a minor;
               (6)  the use of alcohol or controlled substances;
               (7)  the use of force;
               (8)  the use of tactical teams;
               (9)  the use of invasive surveillance techniques;
               (10)  the use of brief, noninvasive stops of persons
  suspected of committing an offense;
               (11)  arrests;
               (12)  the issuance of citations in lieu of arrest for
  misdemeanor offenses punishable by fine only;
               (13)  the release of recordings taken by body worn
  cameras; and
               (14)  the conduct of interrogations of persons
  suspected of committing an offense.
         (c)  In adopting the standards of conduct, the commission
  shall ensure members of the public are given an opportunity to
  provide input.
         (d)  The commission shall make the standards of conduct and
  any associated training materials available on the commission's
  Internet website.
         (e)  The commission shall biennially review and update the
  standards of conduct as necessary.
         (f)  Not later than December 1 of each year, the commission
  shall submit a report regarding the standards of conduct to the
  governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of
  representatives, and each standing committee of the legislature
  with primary jurisdiction over the commission or criminal justice
  matters. The report must include:
               (1)  information regarding the extent to which law
  enforcement agencies have adopted and implemented the standards of
  conduct; and
               (2)  any legislative recommendations necessary to
  ensure uniform implementation of the standards.
         SECTION 4.  The heading to Section 1701.451, Occupations
  Code, is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 1701.451.  DUTIES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY SEEKING TO
  HIRE LICENSE HOLDER [PREEMPLOYMENT REQUEST FOR EMPLOYMENT
  TERMINATION REPORT AND SUBMISSION OF BACKGROUND CHECK CONFIRMATION
  FORM].
         SECTION 5.  Section 1701.451(a), Occupations Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  Before a law enforcement agency may hire a person
  licensed under this chapter, the agency head or the agency head's
  designee must:
               (1)  make a request to the commission for any
  employment termination report regarding the person that is
  maintained by the commission under this subchapter; [and]
               (2)  review any information regarding the person that
  is maintained in the database under Section 1701.165; and
               (3)  submit to the commission on the form prescribed by
  the commission confirmation that the agency:
                     (A)  conducted in the manner prescribed by the
  commission a criminal background check regarding the person;
                     (B)  obtained the person's written consent on a
  form prescribed by the commission for the agency to view the
  person's employment records;
                     (C)  obtained from the commission any service or
  education records regarding the person maintained by the
  commission; [and]
                     (D)  contacted each of the person's previous law
  enforcement employers; and
                     (E)  reviewed the information in the database as
  required by Subdivision (2).
         SECTION 6.  Not later than January 1, 2022, the Texas
  Commission on Law Enforcement shall:
               (1)  adopt rules and standards of conduct and prescribe
  forms necessary to implement the changes in law made by this Act;
  and
               (2)  establish the database required by Section
  1701.165, Occupations Code, as added by this Act.
         SECTION 7.  Section 1701.451(a), Occupations Code, as
  amended by this Act, applies only with respect to a person hired on
  or after January 1, 2022. A person hired before January 1, 2022, is
  governed by the law in effect immediately before the effective date
  of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that
  purpose.
         SECTION 8.  (a) Not later than February 1, 2022, the Texas
  Commission on Law Enforcement shall submit to the governor, the
  lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives,
  and each standing committee of the legislature with primary
  jurisdiction over the commission or criminal justice matters a
  report on the standards of conduct adopted under Section 1701.166,
  Occupations Code, as added by this Act. The report must include
  information related to the development of the standards and the
  steps the commission has taken to make the standards available to
  law enforcement agencies in this state.
         (b)  The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement shall submit its
  first report under Section 1701.166(f), Occupations Code, as added
  by this Act, not later than December 1, 2022.
         SECTION 9.  Not later than March 1, 2022, each law
  enforcement agency in this state shall adopt the applicable
  standards of conduct required by Article 2.1397, Code of Criminal
  Procedure, as added by this Act.
         SECTION 10.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.