Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2436 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	84R12454 AAF-F
2	2	By: Phillips H.B. No. 2436
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to passenger security screening.
8	8	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9	SECTION 1. Section 23.002(a), Transportation Code, is
10	10	amended to read as follows:
11	11	(a) The governing body may commission an employee of an
12	12	airport security force established under this chapter as a peace
13	13	officer, subject to Subchapter G, Chapter 1701, Occupations
14	14	[Subchapter C, Chapter 415, Government] Code, if the employee gives
15	15	an oath and a bond for the faithful performance of the employee's
16	16	duties as required by the governing body.
17	17	SECTION 2. Chapter 23, Transportation Code, is amended by
18	18	adding Sections 23.004 and 23.005 to read as follows:
19	19	Sec. 23.004. ANALYSIS AND REPORT REGARDING PASSENGER
20	20	SECURITY SCREENINGS. (a) In this section, "airport operator"
21	21	means:
22	22	(1) a local government that owns or controls an
23	23	airport; or
24	24	(2) a person who operates, as the agent of a local
25	25	government or otherwise, an airport owned or controlled by the
26	26	local government.
27	27	(b) An airport operator shall establish a program to collect
28	28	complaints received by the operator regarding passenger security
29	29	screenings. Complaints collected under this section are
30	30	confidential and not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552,
31	31	Government Code.
32	32	(c) Not later than October 1 of each year, and in a manner
33	33	prescribed by the director of the governor's Texas homeland
34	34	security office, an airport operator shall submit to the executive
35	35	director of the Texas Department of Transportation and the director
36	36	of the governor's Texas homeland security office an analysis of
37	37	complaints regarding passenger security screenings received during
38	38	the most recent state fiscal year. The analysis must identify the
39	39	general categories of complaints regarding passenger security
40	40	screenings and provide trend data on the frequency of those
41	41	complaints. The analysis may not contain any personal passenger
42	42	information that would compromise a passenger's privacy or safety.
43	43	(d) Not later than December 1 of each year, the director of
44	44	the governor's Texas homeland security office shall submit a report
45	45	to the congressional delegation of this state. The report must
46	46	provide an analysis of complaints regarding passenger security
47	47	screenings in this state and make recommendations regarding ways in
48	48	which to conduct effective passenger security screenings while
49	49	minimizing unnecessary impositions on airline travelers' time and
50	50	privacy.
51	51	(e) This section expires January 1, 2021.
52	52	Sec. 23.005. SCREENING PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM. (a) In this
53	53	section, "airport operator" has the meaning assigned by Section
54	54	23.004.
55	55	(b) Not later than January 1, 2016, an airport operator
56	56	shall apply to the Under Secretary of Transportation for Security
57	57	under 49 U.S.C. Section 44920 to participate in the security
58	58	screening opt-out program.
59	59	(c) The airport operator shall submit the following
60	60	information to the executive director of the Texas Department of
61	61	Transportation and the director of the governor's Texas homeland
62	62	security office:
63	63	(1) not later than the 30th day after the date an
64	64	application was submitted under Subsection (b), a letter confirming
65	65	the submission of an application;
66	66	(2) not later than the 30th day after receiving the
67	67	notice, a copy of the notice of the disposition of the application;
68	68	and
69	69	(3) not later than January 31, 2021, a written
70	70	statement regarding any failure to receive a notice of the
71	71	disposition of the application.
72	72	(d) This section expires August 31, 2021.
73	73	SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date
74	74	of this Act, the director of the governor's Texas homeland security
75	75	office shall prescribe procedures to implement the change in law
76	76	made by Section 23.004, Transportation Code, as added by this Act.
77	77	SECTION 4. (a) Sections 23.004(c) and (d), Transportation
78	78	Code, as added by this Act, take effect January 1, 2016.
79	79	(b) Except as otherwise provided by Subsection (a) of this
80	80	section, this Act takes effect September 1, 2015.