HBA-MPM C.S.H.B. 491 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 491
By: Lewis, Glenn
Higher Education
4/19/1999
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, persons seeking to become licensed peace officers must have a
high school diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (GED), and successfully
complete a licensing course as required by the Texas Commission on Law
Enforcement Officer Standards and Education.  Additional education may
allow a peace officer to serve the public more effectively.  C.S.H.B. 491
authorizes the governing board of an institution of higher education to
exempt peace officers enrolled in a degree or certificate program in
criminal justice at an institution of higher education from tuition and
fees for a course required by the degree or program. 

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 Subchapter D, Chapter 54, Education Code, by adding
Section 54.2085, as follows: 

Sec. 54.2085.  PEACE OFFICER ENROLLED IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROGRAM.
Authorizes the governing board of an institution of higher education to
exempt a person employed as a peace officer for purposes of Article 2.12,
Code of Criminal Procedure (Who Are Peace Officers) and who is enrolled in
a degree or certificate program (program) in criminal justice at an
institution of higher education from the payment of tuition and fees for a
course the person enrolls in to satisfy a program requirement. 

SECTION 2.  Makes this Act prospective beginning with the 1999 fall
semester. 

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.
            Effective date:  upon passage.  

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 491 differs from the original in SECTION 1 by authorizing the
governing board of an institution of higher education to exempt peace
officers described under Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure (Who Are
Peace Officers), and who are enrolled in a degree or certificate program in
criminal justice at the institution from payment of certain tuition and
fees related to that program or certificate.  The original bill set forth
an exemption for peace officers from payment of tuition and fees, without
giving the institution's governing board the authorization to provide the
exemption. The substitute also corrects a reference to "Section" 2.12, Code
of Criminal Procedure, in the original to "Article" 2.12, Code of Criminal
Procedure.