| 2 | | - | (In the Senate - Filed February 12, 2019; March 1, 2019, |
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| 3 | | - | read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice; |
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| 4 | | - | May 1, 2019, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 7, |
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| 5 | | - | Nays 0; May 1, 2019, sent to printer.) |
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| 6 | | - | Click here to see the committee vote |
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| 7 | 3 | | |
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| 8 | 4 | | |
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| 9 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 10 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 11 | 7 | | relating to the authority of a code enforcement officer performing |
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| 12 | 8 | | official duties to possess or carry an instrument used for |
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| 13 | 9 | | deterring an animal bite. |
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| 14 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 15 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Section 46.15, Penal Code, is amended by adding |
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| 16 | 12 | | Subsection (h) to read as follows: |
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| 17 | 13 | | (h) The provisions of Sections 46.02 and 46.03 prohibiting |
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| 18 | 14 | | the possession or carrying of a club do not apply to a code |
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| 19 | 15 | | enforcement officer who: |
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| 20 | 16 | | (1) holds a certificate of registration issued under |
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| 21 | 17 | | Chapter 1952, Occupations Code; and |
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| 22 | 18 | | (2) possesses or carries an instrument used |
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| 23 | 19 | | specifically for deterring an animal bite while the officer is: |
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| 24 | 20 | | (A) performing official duties; or |
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| 25 | 21 | | (B) traveling to or from a place of duty. |
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| 26 | 22 | | SECTION 2. Section 1952.051, Occupations Code, is amended |
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| 27 | 23 | | by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: |
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| 28 | 24 | | (c) The education requirements adopted under Subsection (b) |
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| 29 | 25 | | must include education regarding the principles and procedures to |
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| 30 | 26 | | be followed when possessing or carrying an instrument used |
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| 31 | 27 | | specifically for deterring an animal bite. |
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| 32 | 28 | | SECTION 3. Section 1952.1051, Occupations Code, is amended |
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| 33 | 29 | | to read as follows: |
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| 34 | 30 | | Sec. 1952.1051. CONTINUING EDUCATION. The commission by |
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| 35 | 31 | | rule shall prescribe continuing education requirements for code |
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| 36 | 32 | | enforcement officers and code enforcement officers in training |
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| 37 | 33 | | that: |
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| 38 | 34 | | (1) establish the number of hours of continuing |
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| 39 | 35 | | education required for renewal of a certificate of registration; |
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| 40 | 36 | | (2) establish an approved curriculum that includes |
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| 41 | 37 | | material regarding changes in applicable law and the principles and |
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| 42 | 38 | | procedures to be followed when possessing or carrying an instrument |
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| 43 | 39 | | used specifically for deterring an animal bite; and |
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| 44 | 40 | | (3) provide that the approved curriculum may be taught |
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| 45 | 41 | | by suitable public agencies and by private entities approved by the |
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| 46 | 42 | | department. |
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| 47 | 43 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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