87R7487 JCG-F
By: Reynolds H.B. No. 2007
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to peace officers and law enforcement agencies.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 180, Local Government Code, is amended
by adding Section 180.008 to read as follows:
Sec. 180.008. REQUIRED PARTICIPATION IN COMMUNITY EVENTS
FOR CERTAIN PEACE OFFICERS. (a) A law enforcement agency of a
municipality or county shall adopt a policy requiring a peace
officer to participate in at least eight hours of community events
in the municipality or county not later than the 60th day after the
date the peace officer begins employment with the agency.
(b) The law enforcement agency may grant extensions of the
period described by Subsection (a) based on reasonable grounds.
SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, is
amended by adding Sections 1701.165 and 1701.166 to read as
follows:
Sec. 1701.165. GRANT PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN AGENCIES. (a) The
commission shall establish and administer a grant program through
which eligible municipalities and counties may apply for a grant to
provide increased compensation to peace officers employed by the
law enforcement agency of the municipality or county based on
criteria described by Subsection (b) and any additional criteria
the commission adopts by rule.
(b) In awarding grants under the grant program, the
commission shall consider the extent to which the peace officers
employed by the law enforcement agency of the applicant
municipality or county:
(1) hold bachelor's degrees or higher from an
institution of higher education or private or independent
institution of higher education, as those terms are defined by
Section 61.003, Education Code;
(2) reside in the applicable municipality or county;
and
(3) have received certificates of distinction under
Section 1701.4025.
(c) The commission may establish:
(1) additional eligibility criteria for grant
applicants;
(2) grant application procedures;
(3) guidelines relating to grant amounts;
(4) procedures for evaluating grant applications; and
(5) procedures for monitoring the use of a grant
awarded under the program and ensuring compliance with any
conditions of a grant.
(d) The commission may use any revenue available for
purposes of this section.
Sec. 1701.166. ANNUAL EVALUATION OF CERTAIN LAW ENFORCEMENT
AGENCIES. (a) The commission shall annually evaluate each law
enforcement agency of a municipality or county for professionalism
based on criteria described by Subsection (b) and any additional
criteria the commission adopts by rule.
(b) In conducting an evaluation of a law enforcement agency
under Subsection (a), the commission shall consider whether:
(1) at least half of the peace officers of the agency
reside in the applicable municipality or county;
(2) the peace officers of the agency in supervisory
positions hold bachelor's degrees or higher from an institution of
higher education or private or independent institution of higher
education, as those terms are defined by Section 61.003, Education
Code;
(3) the peace officers of the agency each perform 30 or
more hours of community service annually;
(4) the agency has a citizens academy or youth
enrichment program; and
(5) the peace officers of the agency are certified as
special officers for offenders with mental impairments under
Section 1701.404.
(c) The commission shall make available on the commission's
Internet website the results of the evaluations.
(d) The commission may establish and administer a grant
program and use any revenue available for purposes of this
subsection to award grants to agencies that receive positive
evaluations. The commission may adopt rules to administer the
grant program.
SECTION 3. Section 1701.253, Occupations Code, is amended
by adding Subsection (q) to read as follows:
(q) As part of the minimum curriculum requirements, the
commission shall require an officer to complete a training program
on implicit bias that consists of not less than eight hours of
training.
SECTION 4. Section 1701.351, Occupations Code, is amended
by adding Subsection (a-2) to read as follows:
(a-2) As part of the continuing education programs under
Subsection (a), a peace officer must complete a training and
education program developed by the commission that includes not
less than:
(1) four hours of training on implicit bias; and
(2) eight hours of training on de-escalation and
crisis intervention techniques.
SECTION 5. Subchapter I, Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, is
amended by adding Section 1701.4025 to read as follows:
Sec. 1701.4025. CERTIFICATE OF DISTINCTION FOR CERTAIN
ACHIEVEMENTS. (a) The commission shall issue a certificate of
distinction to an officer who:
(1) performs more than 40 hours of community service
during a continuing education training period described by Section
1701.351(a);
(2) completes more than 50 hours of continuing
education programs approved by the commission during a continuing
education training period described by Section 1701.351(a); or
(3) provides more than 25 hours of instruction in
continuing education programs approved by the commission in a
calendar year.
(b) The commission shall adopt rules for the administration
of this section, including rules for reporting community service
hours and hours providing instruction in continuing education
programs.
(c) The commission may use the employment records of an
employing law enforcement agency in determining whether an officer
qualifies for a certificate of distinction.
SECTION 6. Section 180.008, Local Government Code, as added
by this Act, applies only to a peace officer first employed on or
after the effective date of this Act.
SECTION 7. Not later than September 1, 2022, the Texas
Commission on Law Enforcement shall:
(1) begin conducting evaluations under Section
1701.166, Occupations Code, as added by this Act; and
(2) adopt rules necessary to implement that section.
SECTION 8. Section 1701.253(q), Occupations Code, as added
by this Act, applies only to a person who submits an application for
a peace officer license under Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, on or
after January 1, 2022. A person who submits an application for a
peace officer license under Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, before
January 1, 2022, is governed by the law in effect immediately before
the effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in
effect for that purpose.
SECTION 9. Not later than January 1, 2022, the Texas
Commission on Law Enforcement shall develop the training and
education program required by and adopt rules necessary to
implement Section 1701.351(a-2), Occupations Code, as added by this
Act.
SECTION 10. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.