BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2566

By: Allison

County Affairs

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Bexar County is growing rapidly, but the current staffing ratio for the county sheriff's department is only set at 0.8 peace officers for every 1,000 residents whereas the state recommends a ratio of 2 for every 1,000. C.S.H.B. 2566 seeks to address this issue by mandating a sheriff's department staffing ratio for the county of at least 1.8 peace officers for every 1,000 residents of the county's total unincorporated area, which is a more accommodating ratio than the state recommended ratio but which will not cost the county too much more to achieve while still being an improvement over the current staffing ratio.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2566 amends the Local Government Code to require the sheriff of a county with a population of more than 1.5 million in which more than 70 percent of the population lives in a single municipality to employ and retain at all times at least 1.8 peace officers for every 1,000 residents of the county's total unincorporated area, as determined by the state demographer. The bill requires the sheriff to comply with this requirement as soon as practicable but not later than September 1, 2028. The bill, for purposes of the requirement, defines "peace officer" as an officer whose duties include patrolling an assigned area, conducting traffic stops, responding to calls, and carrying out general investigative and law enforcement duties, and excludes from the term an officer whose duties include the safekeeping of prisoners or the security of a jail operated by the county, or serving as a bailiff at a county courthouse.

C.S.H.B. 2566 amends the Government Code to include among the annual population estimates that the state demographer is required to provide an estimate for the total unincorporated area of a county.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.

COMPARISON OF INTRODUCED AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 2566 may differ from the introduced in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

The substitute includes a definition for "peace officer" that is absent in the introduced.