88R899 BEF-D
 
  By: Miles S.B. No. 185
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the retention and required disclosure under the public
  information law of certain complaints alleging official
  oppression.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter J, Chapter 143, Local Government
  Code, is amended by adding Section 143.364 to read as follows:
         Sec. 143.364.  RETENTION OF COMPLAINT AGAINST POLICE
  OFFICER. (a)  A municipal department employing a police officer
  against whom is filed a complaint alleging conduct constituting
  official oppression under Section 39.03, Penal Code, shall:
               (1)  retain the complaint until at least the fifth
  anniversary of the date the police officer's employment with the
  municipality ends; and
               (2)  create an abstract of the complaint to retain
  indefinitely once the original complaint is destroyed.
         (b)  A discretionary exception to required disclosure
  provided by Chapter 552, Government Code, does not apply to a
  complaint or abstract described by Subsection (a).
         (c)  This section prevails over:
               (1)  any other provision of law; and
               (2)  any conflicting provision in an agreement entered
  into under this subchapter.
         (d)  This section does not prohibit the employing municipal
  department from withholding information contained in a complaint or
  abstract that is confidential under Section 552.117 or 552.1175,
  Government Code.
         (e)  This section does not prohibit a person from asserting a
  privacy interest in withholding a complaint or abstract.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter A, Chapter 174, Local Government
  Code, is amended by adding Section 174.009 to read as follows:
         Sec. 174.009.  RETENTION OF COMPLAINT AGAINST POLICE
  OFFICER. (a) A department of a political subdivision employing a
  police officer against whom is filed a complaint alleging conduct
  constituting official oppression under Section 39.03, Penal Code,
  shall:
               (1)  retain the complaint until at least the fifth
  anniversary of the date the police officer's employment with the
  political subdivision ends; and
               (2)  create an abstract of the complaint to retain
  indefinitely once the original complaint is destroyed.
         (b)  A complaint or abstract described by Subsection (a) is
  public information and is not excepted from required disclosure by
  Section 552.108, Government Code.
         (c)  This section prevails over:
               (1)  any other provision of law; and
               (2)  any conflicting provision in a collective
  bargaining agreement entered into under this chapter.
         SECTION 3.  Section 552.108(c), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (c)  This section does not:
               (1)  except from the requirements of Section 552.021
  information that is basic information about an arrested person, an
  arrest, or a crime; or
               (2)  apply to a complaint or abstract described by
  Section 143.364 or 174.009, Local Government Code, or Section
  614.024 of this code that a law enforcement agency or prosecutor
  uses in the detection, investigation, or prosecution of a crime.
         SECTION 4.  Subchapter B, Chapter 614, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 614.024 to read as follows:
         Sec. 614.024.  RETENTION BY MUNICIPALITIES OF COMPLAINT
  AGAINST PEACE OFFICER. (a) If a municipality receives a complaint
  against a peace officer employed by the municipality alleging
  conduct constituting official oppression under Section 39.03,
  Penal Code, the municipality shall:
               (1)  retain the complaint until at least the fifth
  anniversary of the date the peace officer's employment with the
  municipality ends; and
               (2)  create an abstract of the complaint to retain
  indefinitely once the original complaint is destroyed.
         (b)  A discretionary exception to required disclosure
  provided by Chapter 552 does not apply to a complaint or abstract
  described by Subsection (a).
         SECTION 5.  Sections 143.364(c) and 174.009(c), Local
  Government Code, as added by this Act, apply only to a contract
  executed on or after the effective date of this Act. A contract
  executed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the
  law as it existed on the date the contract was executed, and the
  former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2023.