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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the number of peace officers required to be employed by |
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a sheriff's department in certain counties. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 351, Local Government |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 351.905 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 351.905. MINIMUM NUMBER OF SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT PEACE |
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OFFICERS. (a) In this section, "peace officer" means an officer |
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whose duties include patrolling an assigned area, conducting |
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traffic stops, responding to calls, and carrying out general |
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investigative and law enforcement duties. The term does not |
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include an officer whose duties include the safekeeping of |
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prisoners or the security of a jail operated by the county, or |
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serving as a bailiff at a county courthouse. |
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(b) This section applies only to a county with a population |
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of more than 1.5 million in which more than 70 percent of the |
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population lives in a single municipality. |
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(c) The sheriff of a county shall employ and retain at all |
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times at least 1.8 peace officers for every 1,000 residents of the |
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total unincorporated area of the county, as determined by the state |
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demographer in accordance with Section 468.004, Government Code. |
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SECTION 2. Section 468.004, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 468.004. POWERS AND DUTIES. The state demographer |
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shall: |
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(1) disseminate demographic and related socioeconomic |
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data to the public, with emphasis on data that may be useful to |
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public policymakers; |
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(2) provide annual population estimates for all |
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counties and municipalities in the state, including an estimate for |
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the total unincorporated area of the county; |
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(3) provide biennial population projections for the |
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state and all counties of the state; |
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(4) adhere to current standards of practice when |
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determining which racial/ethnic groups to include in estimates and |
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projections; |
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(5) provide information by request which justifies the |
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omission of any particular racial/ethnic group from estimates and |
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projections, including limitations of data and methodology; |
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(6) provide information to the legislature relating to |
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the impact that demographic and socioeconomic changes in the |
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population of the state have on the demand for state services; and |
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(7) evaluate the type and quality of data needed to: |
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(A) adequately monitor demographic and |
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socioeconomic changes in the population of the state; and |
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(B) assess the effectiveness of delivery of state |
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services. |
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SECTION 3. The sheriff of a county to which Section 351.905, |
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Local Government Code, as added by this Act, applies shall comply |
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with the requirement of that section as soon as practicable but not |
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later than September 1, 2028. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |