BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3424

By: Frazier

Homeland Security & Public Safety

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Across Texas, many armed security officers are trained and employed in various capacities to protect private property and secure private events. During the COVID-19 pandemic, much of the training for the security personnel was moved into an online training program. These online training programs do not require any in-person weapons training which represents a risk to the security officers and the persons they encounter throughout their duties. For individuals to be properly trained, it is necessary to perform the handgun proficiency and tactical training portion of the security training program in person with an authorized instructor. H.B. 3424 seeks to address issues regarding the training of security officers by requiring the classroom instruction on handgun proficiency included as part of a basic training course for commissioned security officers to be delivered in person by an on-site instructor and requiring security officers to also receive instruction on self-defense tactics.

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. 3424 amends the Occupations Code to require the classroom instruction on handgun proficiency included as part of a basic training course for commissioned security officers to also include instruction on self-defense tactics. The bill revises requirements for the administration of the classroom instruction by requiring that the instruction be delivered exclusively on an in-person basis and by an on-site instructor approved by the Department of Public Safety. These provisions apply only to a basic training course that begins on or after January 1, 2024, and the bill requires the Public Safety Commission to update the basic training course to be compliant with these provisions not later than that date.

H.B. 3424 requires any personal protection officer training course that begins on or after January 1, 2024, to be offered exclusively in-person.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.