89R2155 JCG-D
By: Jones of Harris H.B. No. 765
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to liability insurance certain peace officers obtain for
damages resulting from the officers' misconduct.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 612, Government Code, is amended by
adding Section 612.006 to read as follows:
Sec. 612.006. LIABILITY INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR PEACE
OFFICER MISCONDUCT. (a) In this section:
(1) "Law enforcement agency" means an agency of this
state or an agency of a political subdivision of this state
authorized by law to employ peace officers.
(2) "Peace officer" means an individual elected,
appointed, or employed to serve as a peace officer for a
governmental entity under Article 2A.001, Code of Criminal
Procedure, or other law.
(b) This section applies only to a peace officer, other than
a reserve peace officer, who:
(1) works as a peace officer for a law enforcement
agency; and
(2) is entitled to benefits offered to a full-time
peace officer by the employing agency, such as retirement benefits.
(c) A law enforcement agency may not employ a peace officer
to whom this section applies unless the peace officer obtains and
continuously maintains liability insurance to cover damages
resulting from any misconduct, including intentional or negligent
acts, the peace officer commits while acting in the scope of the
peace officer's employment for the law enforcement agency.
(d) Liability insurance obtained and maintained for
purposes of Subsection (c) must comply with the rules the
commissioner of insurance adopts under Subsection (e).
(e) The commissioner of insurance shall adopt rules that:
(1) set a minimum liability insurance coverage amount
for a policy allowing a reasonable number of victims to be
compensated; and
(2) require a policy to state the policy is provided in
accordance with and is subject to this section.
SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2026, the commissioner
of insurance shall adopt rules to implement Section 612.006,
Government Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION 3. Section 612.006(c), Government Code, as added by
this Act, applies only to a peace officer employed on or after
September 1, 2026.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.