HBA-MSH, CBW C.S.H.B. 232 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 232
By: Hawley
Public Safety
3/29/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The Private Investigators and Private Security Agencies Act regulates and
licenses businesses and persons in the investigation and security industry.
Under current law, peace officers are prohibited from providing patrol,
guard, watchman, or extra job coordinator services unless they work at
least 32 hours a week as a peace officer.  Many reserve peace officers in
rural areas do not meet this requirement.  Rural schools and other
organizations are forced  to procure private security services  from
private security companies often located in distant large towns, incurring
large travel costs.  C.S.H.B. 232 exempts certain rural reserve peace
officers from regulation under the Private Investigators and Private
Security Agencies Act. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 232 amends the Occupations Code to exempt  a reserve peace officer
for a county or for a department, precinct, or political subdivision of a
county with a population of less than 20,000 from regulation under the
Private Investigators and Private Security Agencies Act while the reserve
officer is performing duties in a county with a population of less than
20,000. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 232 amends the original to add the provision that a reserve
officer must be performing reserve duties in a county with a population of
less than 20,000 in order to be exempt from regulation.