BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 626 By: Bell, Cecil Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Code of Criminal Procedure currently grants limited state law enforcement authority to certain U.S. criminal investigators, including agents of the FBI, the Secret Service, and the DEA. While not classified as peace officers under state law, these investigators are granted the powers of arrest, search, and seizure with respect to felony offenses. Additionally, the Texas Administrative Code establishes that these named federal criminal investigators have met the training requirements for purposes of state peace officer licensing consideration by virtue of their authority and successful completion of an approved federal agency law enforcement training course. However, the statutory list of federal investigators currently granted these privileges does not include federal air marshals or U.S. Department of Defense investigators. H.B. 626 adds federal air marshals and Department of Defense investigators to the list of investigators with limited state law enforcement authority with respect to felony offenses, thus also allowing these investigators to meet the training requirements for purposes of state peace officer licensing consideration by virtue of their authority and training based on their prior service as a federal investigator without attending a full basic peace officer academy. CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS H.B. 626 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to grant the powers of arrest, search, and seizure under state law with respect to felony offenses to the following U.S. criminal investigators: a federal air marshal of the Transportation Security Administration; and a police officer or detective of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), or any component agency of the DOD. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 626
By: Bell, Cecil
Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 626
By: Bell, Cecil
Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Code of Criminal Procedure currently grants limited state law enforcement authority to certain U.S. criminal investigators, including agents of the FBI, the Secret Service, and the DEA. While not classified as peace officers under state law, these investigators are granted the powers of arrest, search, and seizure with respect to felony offenses. Additionally, the Texas Administrative Code establishes that these named federal criminal investigators have met the training requirements for purposes of state peace officer licensing consideration by virtue of their authority and successful completion of an approved federal agency law enforcement training course. However, the statutory list of federal investigators currently granted these privileges does not include federal air marshals or U.S. Department of Defense investigators. H.B. 626 adds federal air marshals and Department of Defense investigators to the list of investigators with limited state law enforcement authority with respect to felony offenses, thus also allowing these investigators to meet the training requirements for purposes of state peace officer licensing consideration by virtue of their authority and training based on their prior service as a federal investigator without attending a full basic peace officer academy.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS H.B. 626 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to grant the powers of arrest, search, and seizure under state law with respect to felony offenses to the following U.S. criminal investigators: a federal air marshal of the Transportation Security Administration; and a police officer or detective of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), or any component agency of the DOD.
EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The Code of Criminal Procedure currently grants limited state law enforcement authority to certain U.S. criminal investigators, including agents of the FBI, the Secret Service, and the DEA. While not classified as peace officers under state law, these investigators are granted the powers of arrest, search, and seizure with respect to felony offenses. Additionally, the Texas Administrative Code establishes that these named federal criminal investigators have met the training requirements for purposes of state peace officer licensing consideration by virtue of their authority and successful completion of an approved federal agency law enforcement training course. However, the statutory list of federal investigators currently granted these privileges does not include federal air marshals or U.S. Department of Defense investigators. H.B. 626 adds federal air marshals and Department of Defense investigators to the list of investigators with limited state law enforcement authority with respect to felony offenses, thus also allowing these investigators to meet the training requirements for purposes of state peace officer licensing consideration by virtue of their authority and training based on their prior service as a federal investigator without attending a full basic peace officer academy.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 626 amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to grant the powers of arrest, search, and seizure under state law with respect to felony offenses to the following U.S. criminal investigators:
a federal air marshal of the Transportation Security Administration; and
a police officer or detective of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), or any component agency of the DOD.
EFFECTIVE DATE
On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2025.