| 3 | 2 | | |
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| 4 | 3 | | |
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| 5 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 6 | | relating to firearms training for county jailers. |
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| 8 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, is |
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| 10 | 9 | | amended by adding Section 1701.2561 to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 10 | | Sec. 1701.2561. FIREARMS TRAINING FOR COUNTY JAILERS. |
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| 12 | 11 | | (a) The commission shall develop a basic training program in the |
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| 13 | 12 | | use of firearms by county jailers. The program must provide |
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| 14 | 13 | | instruction in: |
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| 15 | 14 | | (1) legal limitations on the use of firearms and on the |
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| 16 | 15 | | powers and authority of jailers; |
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| 17 | 16 | | (2) range firing and procedure; |
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| 18 | 17 | | (3) firearms safety and maintenance; and |
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| 19 | 18 | | (4) other topics determined by the commission to be |
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| 20 | 19 | | necessary for the responsible use of firearms by jailers. |
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| 21 | 20 | | (b) The commission shall administer the training program |
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| 22 | 21 | | and shall issue a certificate of firearms proficiency to each |
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| 23 | 22 | | county jailer the commission determines has successfully completed |
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| 24 | 23 | | the program. |
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| 25 | 24 | | (c) A county jailer who is issued a certificate of firearms |
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| 26 | 25 | | proficiency and who maintains weapons proficiency in accordance |
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| 27 | 26 | | with Section 1701.355 may carry a firearm: |
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| 28 | 27 | | (1) during the course of performing duties as a county |
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| 29 | 28 | | jailer, including while transporting persons confined in the county |
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| 30 | 29 | | jail; and |
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| 31 | 30 | | (2) while traveling to or from the jailer's place of |
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| 32 | 31 | | assignment. |
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| 33 | 32 | | SECTION 2. Section 1701.355, Occupations Code, is amended |
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| 34 | 33 | | by adding Subsection (a-1) and amending Subsection (b) to read as |
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| 35 | 34 | | follows: |
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| 36 | 35 | | (a-1) An agency that employs one or more county jailers who |
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| 37 | 36 | | have been issued a certificate of firearms proficiency under |
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| 38 | 37 | | Section 1701.2561 shall designate a firearms proficiency officer |
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| 39 | 38 | | and require the jailers to demonstrate weapons proficiency to the |
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| 40 | 39 | | firearms proficiency officer at least annually. The agency shall |
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| 41 | 40 | | maintain records of the weapons proficiency of the agency's |
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| 42 | 41 | | jailers. A county jailer's failure to demonstrate weapons |
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| 43 | 42 | | proficiency does not affect the county jailer's license under this |
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| 44 | 43 | | chapter. |
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| 45 | 44 | | (b) On request, the commission may waive the requirement |
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| 46 | 45 | | that a peace officer or county jailer demonstrate weapons |
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| 47 | 46 | | proficiency on a determination by the commission that the |
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| 48 | 47 | | requirement causes a hardship. |
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| 49 | 48 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 50 | 49 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 51 | 50 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 52 | 51 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 53 | 52 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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