By: King, Eckhardt S.B. No. 1124
(In the Senate - Filed February 22, 2023; March 9, 2023,
read first time and referred to Committee on Local Government;
April 17, 2023, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 2; April 17, 2023,
sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1124 By: Springer
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to qualifications of a sheriff or a candidate for sheriff.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 85.0011, Local Government Code, is
amended to read as follows:
Sec. 85.0011. QUALIFICATIONS FOR SHERIFF OR CANDIDATE FOR
SHERIFF. (a) A person is not eligible to serve as sheriff unless
the person:
(1) has a high school diploma or a high school
equivalency certificate; and
(2) holds an active permanent peace officer
license [is eligible to be licensed] under Chapter 1701 [Sections
1701.309 and 1701.312], Occupations Code.
(b) A person is not eligible to be a candidate for the office
of sheriff unless the person holds an active permanent peace
officer license under Chapter 1701, Occupations Code.
SECTION 2. Section 1701.302(a), Occupations Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) Except as provided by Section 85.0011, Local Government
Code, an [An] officer[, including a sheriff,] elected under the
Texas Constitution or a statute or appointed to fill a vacancy in an
elective office must obtain a license from the commission not later
than the second anniversary of the date the officer takes office.
SECTION 3. Section 85.0025, Local Government Code, is
repealed.
SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act to Sections
85.0011 and 85.0025, Local Government Code, do not apply to a
sheriff serving a term that began before the effective date of this
Act. A sheriff serving a term that began before the effective date
of this Act is governed for the remainder of that term by Sections
85.0011 and 85.0025, Local Government Code, as those laws existed
immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the prior law
is continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
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