HBA-CMT H.B. 3443 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3443 By: Gallego County Affairs 4/1/2001 Introduced 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.