HBA-CMT H.B. 3443 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3443
By: Gallego
County Affairs
4/20/2001
Committee Report (Amended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, a county sheriff may only assist another county when the
mayor or another officer authorized to declare a state of civil emergency
in the other county deems it necessary to request assistance. It is
sometimes difficult for a county sheriff to locate the mayor or other
officer authorized to declare a state of civil emergency.  House Bill 3443
authorizes a sheriff to provide regularly employed law enforcement officers
and equipment to assist another county only after receiving a request from
the sheriff and county officer authorized to declare a state of civil
emergency in the county requesting the assistance. 

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

House Bill 3443 amends the Local Government Code to authorize a sheriff to
provide regularly employed law enforcement officers and equipment under the
sheriff's control to assist another county.  The bill authorizes the
sheriff to provide such assistance only after receiving a request from the
sheriff and county officer authorized to declare a state of civil emergency
in the county requesting assistance.  The county requesting assistance is
responsible for any civil liability that arises from the services provided
by the assisting law enforcement officers.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001. 

EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS

Committee Amendment No. 1 specifies that this subsection of the bill does
not provide contracting authority to the sheriff.