HBA-DMD H.B. 1448 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1448
By: Uher
Public Safety
3/17/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, the Department of Public Safety (department) is required
to adopt reasonable guidelines relating to acceptable off-duty employment
for its officers. Such off-duty employment assists officers in
supplementing their income. 

H.B. 1448 removes the department's requirement to adopt guidelines relating
to off-duty employment for its officers. This bill also entitles an officer
to engage in any off-duty employment or attend any educational course that
does not violate any statute. 

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. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 411.0077, Government Code, as follows:

Sec. 411.0077.  LIMITATION ON RESTRICTIONS ON CERTAIN OFF-DUTY ACTIVITIES.
Entitles an off-duty commissioned officer of the Department of Public
Safety (department) to attend educational programs or courses or to engage
in any outside employment that does not violate any statute, rather than
adversely affect the operations or reputation of the department.  Deletes
Subsections (b) and (c) requiring the department to adopt guidelines which
relate to acceptable off-duty employment which the officer is authorized to
engage in until the public safety director or his designee informs the
officer in writing that the employment is not acceptable.  Makes a
conforming change. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.