BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 1484
88R4249 JCG-D	By: Creighton
	Border Security
	3/27/2023
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Proposed legislation seeks to establish a specialized training program for local law enforcement officers to combat illegal activities along the Texas-Mexico border. The program, administered by the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas (DPS), aims to prepare officers to interdict, investigate, and prosecute criminal activity in the region, including the trafficking of people and drugs.

The training program will cover topics such as identifying criminal activity associated with organized crime, best practices for investigating and prosecuting the criminal activity, and securing the Texas-Mexico border. It will also provide an overview of DPS's operations and collaboration with the United States Customs and Border Protection.

Successful completion of the program will earn officers continuing education hours recognized by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. This legislation aims to equip law enforcement personnel with the necessary skills to ensure the safety and security of Texas communities.

As proposed, S.B. 1484 amends current law relating to a border operations 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, Government Code, by adding Section 411.02093, as follows:

Sec. 411.02093. BORDER OPERATIONS TRAINING PROGRAM. (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 operations 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 that the training program under Subsection (a) include:

(1) information on:

(A) 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; and

(B) methods for identifying northbound, southbound, and intrastate criminal activity associated with drug trafficking, trafficking of persons, and other 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 the United States Customs and Border Protection.

(c) Requires DPS to identify opportunities for a peace officer described by Subsection (a) to assist in DPS's duties related to border operations. Authorizes DPS to authorize the officer to assist in carrying out those duties.

(d) Provides that a peace officer authorized by DPS to assist in carrying out duties related to DPS's border operations as described by Subsection (c) is not entitled to compensation from DPS for the assistance provided.

(e) Authorizes DPS to partner with federal agencies in administering the training program under Subsection (a) and facilitating any assistance provided by a peace officer under Subsection (c).

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

Sec. 1701.359. BORDER OPERATIONS TRAINING PROGRAM. Authorizes the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement to:

(1) recognize, or with the consent of DPS, administer or assist in administering, the border operations training program established under Section 411.02093, 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, 2023.