Bill Text: TX HB1808 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to liability insurance obtained by certain peace officers for damages resulting from misconduct committed by those officers.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-04-25 - Left pending in committee [HB1808 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-HB1808-Introduced.html
  88R7462 JCG-D
 
  By: Jones of Harris H.B. No. 1808
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to liability insurance obtained by certain peace officers
  for damages resulting from misconduct committed by those officers.
         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 OBTAINED BY
  PEACE OFFICERS FOR THEIR MISCONDUCT. (a) In this section:
               (1)  "Law enforcement agency" means an agency of the
  state or an agency of a political subdivision of the 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 2.12, 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 normally 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, negligent,
  or wilful acts, committed by the peace officer 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 adopted by the
  commissioner of insurance under Subsection (e).
         (e)  The commissioner of insurance shall adopt rules with
  respect to the liability insurance required by Subsection (c) that:
               (1)  set a minimum coverage amount for a policy that
  allows for a reasonable number of victims to be compensated; and
               (2)  require a policy to state that the policy is
  provided in accordance with and is subject to this section.
         SECTION 2.  Not later than January 1, 2024, 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, 2024.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
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