| 1 | 1 | | 89R10514 AND-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Morales of Maverick H.B. No. 4948 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to the establishment of a law enforcement academy in Eagle |
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| 10 | 10 | | Pass. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, is amended by |
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| 13 | 13 | | adding Subchapter F-1 to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | SUBCHAPTER F-1. EAGLE PASS LAW ENFORCEMENT ACADEMY |
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| 15 | 15 | | Sec. 1701.291. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "academy" |
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| 16 | 16 | | means the law enforcement academy established under this |
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| 17 | 17 | | subchapter. |
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| 18 | 18 | | Sec. 1701.292. ESTABLISHMENT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT ACADEMY. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (a) The commission shall establish and maintain a law enforcement |
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| 20 | 20 | | academy in Eagle Pass. |
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| 21 | 21 | | (b) The academy shall: |
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| 22 | 22 | | (1) provide basic, intermediate, and advanced law |
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| 23 | 23 | | enforcement training under this chapter; |
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| 24 | 24 | | (2) offer courses on topics relevant to: |
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| 25 | 25 | | (A) border security; |
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| 26 | 26 | | (B) rural law enforcement; |
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| 27 | 27 | | (C) community policing; and |
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| 28 | 28 | | (D) mental health response; |
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| 29 | 29 | | (3) collaborate with institutions of higher education |
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| 30 | 30 | | and university systems, as those terms are defined by Section |
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| 31 | 31 | | 61.003, Education Code, including Sul Ross State University-Rio |
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| 32 | 32 | | Grande College and the Texas State University System, and local law |
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| 33 | 33 | | enforcement agencies; and |
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| 34 | 34 | | (4) provide continuing education opportunities for |
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| 35 | 35 | | officers and other law enforcement personnel. |
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| 36 | 36 | | Sec. 1701.293. DIRECTOR. (a) The commission shall employ a |
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| 37 | 37 | | director of the academy. |
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| 38 | 38 | | (b) The director shall: |
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| 39 | 39 | | (1) develop the academy's budget and staffing plan; |
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| 40 | 40 | | (2) oversee curriculum development and program |
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| 41 | 41 | | delivery; and |
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| 42 | 42 | | (3) annually report the academy's graduation rates, |
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| 43 | 43 | | training metrics, and employment outcomes to: |
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| 44 | 44 | | (A) the commission; and |
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| 45 | 45 | | (B) the legislature. |
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| 46 | 46 | | Sec. 1701.294. FUNDING. (a) The commission may use any |
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| 47 | 47 | | available funds to establish and maintain the academy, including |
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| 48 | 48 | | from: |
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| 49 | 49 | | (1) legislative appropriations; |
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| 50 | 50 | | (2) state or federal grants; |
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| 51 | 51 | | (3) private donations or partnerships; and |
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| 52 | 52 | | (4) tuition and fees associated with attendance of the |
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| 53 | 53 | | academy. |
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| 54 | 54 | | (b) The commission may apply for and accept state and |
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| 55 | 55 | | federal grants to support the establishment and maintenance of the |
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| 56 | 56 | | academy. |
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| 57 | 57 | | Sec. 1701.295. FACILITIES. The academy's primary facility |
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| 58 | 58 | | must be located in Eagle Pass and include: |
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| 59 | 59 | | (1) classrooms and training labs; |
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| 60 | 60 | | (2) simulation areas for de-escalation, emergency |
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| 61 | 61 | | response, and active shooter drills; |
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| 62 | 62 | | (3) a driving course for vehicle operations training; |
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| 63 | 63 | | and |
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| 64 | 64 | | (4) a firearms training range consistent with state |
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| 65 | 65 | | safety standards. |
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| 66 | 66 | | Sec. 1701.2951. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN. Not later than |
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| 67 | 67 | | December 31, 2026, the commission shall submit a written |
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| 68 | 68 | | implementation plan to the legislature. The implementation plan |
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| 69 | 69 | | must include information regarding the process by which the academy |
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| 70 | 70 | | will establish the facilities described by Section 1701.295. This |
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| 71 | 71 | | section expires September 1, 2027. |
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| 72 | 72 | | Sec. 1701.296. ANNUAL REPORT. Not later than December 1 of |
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| 73 | 73 | | each year, the director of the academy shall submit an annual report |
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| 74 | 74 | | to the legislature. The report must include: |
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| 75 | 75 | | (1) data on enrollment, graduation rates, and job |
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| 76 | 76 | | placement for individuals who enroll in the academy; |
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| 77 | 77 | | (2) information on community engagement initiatives; |
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| 78 | 78 | | and |
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| 79 | 79 | | (3) recommendations for improvements to or expansion |
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| 80 | 80 | | of programs offered by the academy. |
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| 81 | 81 | | SECTION 2. Notwithstanding Section 1701.296, Occupations |
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| 82 | 82 | | Code, as added by this Act, the director of the academy is not |
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| 83 | 83 | | required to submit a report under that section before the first |
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| 84 | 84 | | anniversary of the date on which the academy required by Subchapter |
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| 85 | 85 | | F-1, Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, as added by this Act, begins |
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| 86 | 86 | | offering training to law enforcement officers. |
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| 87 | 87 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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