BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2111

By: Allison

Youth Health & Safety, Select

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

State law does not provide for certain federal law enforcement agents to carry a weapon on public school grounds. Some have expressed that the safety and security of students, faculty, and staff in schools could be enhanced by using the expertise and experience of trained federal law enforcement agents. Furthermore, it has been argued that the chief of school safety for the Texas Education Agency should be able to have this privilege as well. H.B. 2111 seeks to address these issues by extending the right to carry a weapon on public school grounds to additional individuals.

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

H.B. 2111 amends the Education Code to authorize an individual appointed by the governor as chief of school safety and security for the Texas Education Agency to carry a weapon on the grounds of any public school district or open-enrollment charter school campus or facility in Texas if the individual is a commissioned peace officer or a current or former licensed federal law enforcement agent who is authorized to carry a weapon while on duty. The bill authorizes the board of trustees of any district to allow a current or former licensed federal law enforcement agent who is employed as security personnel and authorized to carry a weapon while on duty to carry the weapon in the boundaries determined by the board. The bill applies beginning with the 2023-2024 school year.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2023.