Bill Text: TX HB163 | 2021 | 87th Legislature 3rd Special Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the employment and licensing of border security officers employed by the Department of Public Safety; making an appropriation.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-10-11 - Filed [HB163 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB163-Introduced.html
| 87S30561 MCK-D | ||
| By: Toth | H.B. No. 163 | |
|
|
||
|
|
||
| relating to the employment and licensing of border security | ||
| officers employed by the Department of Public Safety; making an | ||
| appropriation. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 411, Government Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 411.02091 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 411.02091. BORDER SECURITY OFFICERS. (a) The | ||
| department may employ as a border security officer to assist | ||
| department efforts along the Texas-Mexico border an individual who: | ||
| (1) has served in the United States armed forces and | ||
| received either: | ||
| (A) an honorable discharge; or | ||
| (B) a dishonorable discharge because the | ||
| individual refused to be vaccinated against COVID-19; and | ||
| (2) holds a border security officer license issued by | ||
| the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. | ||
| (b) The department shall develop for border security | ||
| officers a training program that complies with the requirements of | ||
| Subchapter P, Chapter 1701, Occupations Code. | ||
| SECTION 2. Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Subchapter P to read as follows: | ||
| SUBCHAPTER P. BORDER SECURITY OFFICERS | ||
| Sec. 1701.751. BORDER SECURITY OFFICER LICENSE. (a) The | ||
| commission shall adopt rules establishing a border security officer | ||
| license for border security officers of the Department of Public | ||
| Safety. | ||
| (b) The rules adopted under Subsection (a) must provide for | ||
| an application process for a border security officer license that | ||
| is similar to the application process for a peace officer license. | ||
| Sec. 1701.752. ELIGIBILITY. A border security officer | ||
| license may be issued only to an individual who: | ||
| (1) served in the United States armed forces and | ||
| received either: | ||
| (A) an honorable discharge; or | ||
| (B) a dishonorable discharge because the | ||
| individual refused to be vaccinated against COVID-19; and | ||
| (2) satisfies the eligibility requirements | ||
| established by commission rule. | ||
| Sec. 1701.753. REQUIRED TRAINING. The commission, in | ||
| consultation with the Department of Public Safety, shall establish | ||
| training requirements for border security officers. | ||
| Sec. 1701.754. AUTHORITY OF BORDER SECURITY OFFICER. (a) | ||
| An individual who holds a border security officer license has the | ||
| same authority as a peace officer except as otherwise provided by | ||
| commission rule. | ||
| (b) The commission, in consultation with the Department of | ||
| Public Safety, shall adopt rules to implement this section. | ||
| SECTION 3. The amount of $1 billion is appropriated from the | ||
| general revenue fund to the Department of Public Safety of the State | ||
| of Texas for the purpose of providing salaries to border security | ||
| officers employed by the department during the two-year period | ||
| beginning on the effective date of this Act. | ||
| SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
| a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
| provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
| Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
| Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the | ||
| legislative session. | ||
