| 1 | | - | H.B. No. 1938 |
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| 1 | + | By: Jetton, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Kolkhorst) H.B. No. 1938 |
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| 2 | + | (In the Senate - Received from the House May 3, 2021; |
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| 3 | + | May 10, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on |
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| 4 | + | Jurisprudence; May 21, 2021, reported favorably by the following |
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| 5 | + | vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 21, 2021, sent to printer.) |
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| 6 | + | Click here to see the committee vote |
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| 4 | 10 | | AN ACT |
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| 5 | 11 | | relating to a grant program for law enforcement agencies to defray |
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| 6 | 12 | | the cost of data storage for recordings created with body worn |
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| 7 | 13 | | cameras. |
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| 8 | 14 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 15 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter N, Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, is |
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| 10 | 16 | | amended by adding Section 1701.6521 to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 17 | | Sec. 1701.6521. GRANTS FOR BODY WORN CAMERA DATA STORAGE. |
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| 12 | 18 | | (a) A law enforcement agency in this state that provides body worn |
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| 13 | 19 | | cameras to its peace officers may apply to the office of the |
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| 14 | 20 | | governor for a grant to defray the cost of data storage for |
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| 15 | 21 | | recordings created with the body worn cameras. |
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| 16 | 22 | | (b) The grant program established by this section may be |
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| 17 | 23 | | funded by federal funds or by gifts, grants, and donations. |
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| 18 | 24 | | SECTION 2. Sections 1701.658(a), (b), and (c), Occupations |
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| 19 | 25 | | Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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| 20 | 26 | | (a) If a law enforcement agency receives a grant under |
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| 21 | 27 | | Section 1701.652 [this subchapter], a peace officer who is employed |
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| 22 | 28 | | by the agency and who is on duty may only use a body worn camera that |
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| 23 | 29 | | is issued and maintained by that agency. |
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| 24 | 30 | | (b) Notwithstanding any previous policies, an agency may |
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| 25 | 31 | | not allow its peace officers to use privately owned body worn |
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| 26 | 32 | | cameras after receiving a grant described by this section [under |
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| 27 | 33 | | this subchapter]. |
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| 28 | 34 | | (c) A peace officer who is employed by a law enforcement |
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| 29 | 35 | | agency that has not received a grant described by this section or |
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| 30 | 36 | | who has not otherwise been provided with a body worn camera by the |
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| 31 | 37 | | agency that employs the officer may operate a body worn camera that |
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| 32 | 38 | | is privately owned only if permitted by the employing agency. |
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| 33 | 39 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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| 34 | | - | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 35 | | - | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 36 | | - | I certify that H.B. No. 1938 was passed by the House on April |
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| 37 | | - | 29, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 145, Nays 2, 1 present, not |
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| 38 | | - | voting. |
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| 39 | | - | ______________________________ |
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| 40 | | - | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 41 | | - | I certify that H.B. No. 1938 was passed by the Senate on May |
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| 42 | | - | 22, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0. |
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| 43 | | - | ______________________________ |
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| 44 | | - | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 45 | | - | APPROVED: _____________________ |
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| 46 | | - | Date |
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| 47 | | - | _____________________ |
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| 48 | | - | Governor |
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| 40 | + | * * * * * |
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