Bill Text: TX HB3602 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to peace officers and the investigation and prosecution of criminal offenses.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-22 - Referred to Homeland Security & Public Safety [HB3602 Detail]

Download: Texas-2021-HB3602-Introduced.html
  87R8823 JCG/MP-F
 
  By: Reynolds H.B. No. 3602
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to peace officers and the investigation and prosecution of
  criminal offenses.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  This Act may be cited as the Thurgood Marshall
  Criminal Justice Reform Act.
         SECTION 2.  Title 6, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is
  amended by adding Chapter 135 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 135. PEACE OFFICER LIABILITY FOR DEPRIVATION OF CERTAIN
  RIGHTS, PRIVILEGES, OR IMMUNITIES
         Sec. 135.0001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
               (1)  "Peace officer" has the meaning assigned by
  Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure.
               (2)  "Public entity" means:
                     (A)  this state;
                     (B)  a political subdivision of this state,
  including a municipality or county; and
                     (C)  any other governmental agency whose
  authority is derived from the laws or constitution of this state.
         Sec. 135.0002.  PEACE OFFICER LIABILITY FOR DEPRIVATION OF
  RIGHTS, PRIVILEGES, OR IMMUNITIES UNDER COLOR OF LAW. (a) A person
  may bring an action for any appropriate relief, including legal or
  equitable relief, against a peace officer who, under the color of
  law, deprived the person of or caused the person to be deprived of a
  right, privilege, or immunity secured by the Texas Constitution.
         (b)  A person must bring an action under this chapter not
  later than two years after the day the cause of action accrues.
         Sec. 135.0003.  APPLICABILITY OF OTHER LAW; PROHIBITED
  DEFENSES. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a statutory immunity
  or limitation on liability, damages, or attorney's fees does not
  apply to an action brought under this chapter.
         (b)  Notwithstanding any other law, qualified immunity or a
  defendant's good faith but erroneous belief in the lawfulness of
  the defendant's conduct is not a defense to an action brought under
  this chapter.
         Sec. 135.0004.  ATTORNEY'S FEES AND COSTS. (a) In an action
  brought under this chapter, a court shall award reasonable
  attorney's fees and costs to a prevailing plaintiff.
         (b)  In an action brought under this chapter, if a judgment
  is entered in favor of a defendant, the court may award reasonable
  attorney's fees and costs to the defendant only for defending
  claims the court finds frivolous.
         Sec. 135.0005.  INDEMNIFICATION REQUIRED; EXCEPTION. (a)
  Notwithstanding any other law and except as provided by Subsection
  (b), a public entity shall indemnify a peace officer employed by the
  entity for liability incurred by and a judgment imposed against the
  officer in an action brought under this chapter.
         (b)  A public entity is not required to indemnify a peace
  officer employed by the entity under Subsection (a) if the officer
  was convicted of a criminal violation for the conduct that is the
  basis for the action brought under this chapter.
         SECTION 3.  Article 20A.052(a), Code of Criminal Procedure,
  is amended to read as follows:
         (a)  The foreperson shall:
               (1)  preside over the grand jury's sessions; [and]
               (2)  conduct the grand jury's business and proceedings
  in an orderly manner; and
               (3)  prevent a person present during a session of the
  grand jury from displaying, through any visible means, support for
  another person who would likely be involved in the prosecution of an
  offense subject to indictment by the grand jury.
         SECTION 4.  Article 20A.202(a), Code of Criminal Procedure,
  is amended to read as follows:
         (a)  Grand jury proceedings conducted in the course of the
  grand jury's official duties are secret.
         SECTION 5.  Article 20A.203(b), Code of Criminal Procedure,
  is amended to read as follows:
         (b)  A witness who reveals, before the end of the grand
  jury's term, any matter about which the witness is examined or that
  the witness observes during a grand jury proceeding, other than
  when the witness is required to give evidence on that matter in due
  course, may be punished by a fine not to exceed $500, as for
  contempt of court, and by a term of confinement not to exceed six
  months.
         SECTION 6.  Article 20A.205(b), Code of Criminal Procedure,
  is amended to read as follows:
         (b)  A petition for disclosure under Subsection (a) must be
  filed in the district court in which the case is pending.  The
  defendant must also file a copy of the petition with the attorney
  representing the state, the parties to the judicial proceeding, and
  any other person the court requires.  Each person who receives a
  copy of the petition under this subsection is entitled to appear
  before the court.  [The court shall provide interested parties with
  an opportunity to appear and present arguments for or against the
  requested disclosure.]
         SECTION 7.  Section 41.309(b), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (b)  To be eligible to serve as a counsellor, a person must[:
               [(1)]  be a competent attorney certified in criminal
  law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization[;
               [(2)  have at least five years of experience as a lawyer
  assisting prosecuting attorneys in prosecuting offenses or
  delinquent conduct committed on state property used for the custody
  of persons charged with or convicted of offenses or used for the
  custody of children charged with or adjudicated as having engaged
  in delinquent conduct or conduct indicating a need for supervision;
  or
               [(3)  have served for at least five years as a
  prosecuting attorney or as a judge of a district court, a court of
  appeals, or the court of criminal appeals].
         SECTION 8.  Subtitle A, Title 5, Local Government Code, is
  amended by adding Chapter 142A to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 142A.  PROVISIONS GENERALLY APPLICABLE TO MUNICIPAL POLICE
  OFFICERS
  SUBCHAPTER A.  GENERAL PROVISIONS
         Sec. 142A.001.  APPLICABILITY. This chapter applies to
  municipal police departments regardless of whether the department
  has adopted the provisions of Chapter 143.
         Sec. 142A.002.  CHAPTER SUPERSEDES OTHER LAW OR AGREEMENT.
  To the extent this chapter conflicts with another law, rule,
  including a rule of a civil service commission, or a collective
  bargaining, meet and confer, or other agreement, this chapter
  controls.
  SUBCHAPTER B.  HIRING
         Sec. 142A.051.  EXAMINATION ON IMPLICIT BIAS IN POLICE
  DEPARTMENT. (a)  A municipal police department shall, before
  hiring an applicant for a position with the department as a peace
  officer, require the applicant to take and pass an examination on
  implicit bias.
         (b)  The police department shall collaborate with an
  accredited institution of higher education or other nonprofit
  research institution in:
               (1)  creating or selecting the examination;
               (2)  setting the minimum passing score; and
               (3)  setting a score that exceeds the minimum passing
  score but below which an applicant is required to receive
  individualized counseling on implicit bias before being hired for a
  peace officer position.
         (c)  A police department:
               (1)  may not hire as a peace officer an applicant who
  does not meet or exceed the passing score set under Subsection
  (b)(2); and
               (2)  may hire as a peace officer an applicant who
  receives a score set under Subsection (b)(3) only after the
  applicant receives individualized counseling on implicit bias.
         Sec. 142A.052.  HIGHER EDUCATION REQUIREMENT. To be
  eligible for a position with a police department as a peace officer,
  an applicant hired on or after September 1, 2021, must:
               (1)  for a home-rule municipality located wholly or
  partly in a county with a population of 500,000 or more, hold at
  least a baccalaureate degree or equivalent from an accredited
  institution of higher education; or
               (2)  for a home-rule municipality not described by
  Subdivision (1), hold at least an associate's degree or equivalent
  from an accredited institution of higher education.
         Sec. 142A.053.  HIRING AFTER CERTAIN TERMINATION OR
  RESIGNATION. A municipal police department may not hire as a peace
  officer a person formerly employed as a peace officer who was
  terminated or resigned in lieu of termination from that position
  for the unjustified use of deadly force.
  SUBCHAPTER C.  LABOR AGREEMENTS
         Sec. 142A.101.  COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT IN COLLECTIVE
  BARGAINING AND MEET AND CONFER. A municipality and a police officer
  association recognized as a bargaining agent may not adopt a
  collective bargaining, meet and confer, or other similar agreement
  unless the parties have solicited participation by local community
  members, including allowing an organization of local community
  members to review and comment on any proposed agreement.
         SECTION 9.  Section 1701.255(c), Occupations Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (c)  A person may not enroll in a peace officer training
  program under Section 1701.251(a) unless the person has received an
  associate's degree or any higher academic degree from an accredited
  institution of higher education in or out of this state[:
               [(1)  a high school diploma;
               [(2)  a high school equivalency certificate; or
               [(3)  an honorable discharge from the armed forces of
  the United States after at least 24 months of active duty service].
         SECTION 10.  Sections 9.51(a), (b), (c), and (d), Penal
  Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (a)  A peace officer, or a person acting in a peace officer's
  presence and at the officer's [his] direction, is justified in
  using nonlethal force against another when and to the degree [the
  actor reasonably believes] the force is immediately necessary to
  make or assist in making an arrest or search, or to prevent or
  assist in preventing escape after arrest, if:
               (1)  the actor reasonably believes the arrest or search
  is lawful or, if the arrest or search is made under a warrant, the
  actor [he] reasonably believes the warrant is valid; [and]
               (2)  before using force, the actor:
                     (A)  manifests the actor's [his] purpose to arrest
  or search and identifies the actor [himself] as a peace officer or
  as a person [one] acting at a peace officer's direction, unless the
  actor [he] reasonably believes the actor's [his] purpose and
  identity are already known by or cannot reasonably be made known to
  the person for whom the arrest or search is authorized;
                     (B)  attempts to de-escalate the situation; and
                     (C)  issues a warning that force will be used;
               (3)  the force used is proportionate to the threat
  posed and to the seriousness of the alleged offense;
               (4)  the actor immediately terminates the use of force
  the moment the person against whom force is used becomes compliant
  or is subdued; and
               (5)  the use of force does not present a serious risk of
  injury to any person other than the actor or the person against whom
  the force is used [to be arrested].
         (b)  A person who is not [other than] a peace officer [(] or
  [one] acting at a peace officer's [his] direction [)] is justified
  in using nonlethal force against another when and to the degree [the
  actor reasonably believes] the force is immediately necessary to
  make or assist in making a lawful arrest, or to prevent or assist in
  preventing escape after lawful arrest if:
               (1)[,] before using force, the actor:
                     (A)  manifests the actor's [his] purpose to arrest
  and the reason for the arrest or reasonably believes the actor's
  [his] purpose and the reason are already known by or cannot
  reasonably be made known to the person for whom arrest is
  authorized;
                     (B)  attempts to de-escalate the situation; and
                     (C)  issues a warning that force will be used;
               (2)  the force used is proportionate to the threat
  posed and to the seriousness of the alleged offense;
               (3)  the actor immediately terminates the use of force
  the moment the person against whom force is used becomes compliant
  or is subdued; and
               (4)  the use of force does not present a serious risk of
  injury to any person other than the actor or the person against whom
  the force is used [to be arrested].
         (c)  A peace officer is only justified in using deadly force
  against another when and to the degree [the peace officer
  reasonably believes] the deadly force is immediately necessary to
  make an arrest, or to prevent escape after arrest, if the use of
  force would have been justified under Subsection (a) and:
               (1)  [the actor reasonably believes the conduct for
  which arrest is authorized included the use or attempted use of
  deadly force; or
               [(2) the actor reasonably believes there is a
  substantial risk that] the person for whom arrest is authorized
  poses an imminent threat of [to be arrested will cause] death or
  serious bodily injury to the actor or another;
               (2)  the deadly force is used only against the person
  for whom arrest is authorized;
               (3)  the actor immediately terminates the use of deadly
  force the moment the imminent threat of death or serious bodily
  injury is eliminated; and
               (4)  no lesser degree of force could have eliminated
  the imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury [if the arrest
  is delayed].
         (d)  A person who is not [other than] a peace officer but is
  acting in a peace officer's presence and at the officer's [his]
  direction is justified in using deadly force against another when
  and to the degree [the person reasonably believes] the deadly force
  is immediately necessary to make a lawful arrest, or to prevent
  escape after a lawful arrest, if the use of force would have been
  justified under Subsection (b) and:
               (1)  [the actor reasonably believes the felony or
  offense against the public peace for which arrest is authorized
  included the use or attempted use of deadly force; or
               [(2) the actor reasonably believes there is a
  substantial risk that] the person for whom arrest is authorized
  poses an imminent threat of [to be arrested will cause] death or
  serious bodily injury to another;
               (2)  the deadly force is used only against the person
  for whom arrest is authorized;
               (3)  the actor immediately terminates the use of deadly
  force the moment the imminent threat of death or serious bodily
  injury is eliminated; and
               (4)  no lesser degree of force could have eliminated
  the imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury [if the arrest
  is delayed].
         SECTION 11.  Section 9.51(e), Penal Code, is repealed.
         SECTION 12.  Chapter 135, Civil Practice and Remedies Code,
  as added by this Act, applies only to a cause of action that accrues
  on or after the effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 13.  Section 41.309, Government Code, as amended by
  this Act, applies only to a counsellor elected by the executive
  board of the board of directors of the Special Prosecution Unit
  under that section on or after the effective date of this Act.  A
  counsellor elected before the effective date of this Act is
  governed by the law in effect on the date the counsellor was
  elected, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 14.  Section 142A.051, Local Government Code, as
  added by this Act, applies only to an applicant who is hired by a
  municipal police department as a peace officer on or after January
  1, 2021.
         SECTION 15.  Section 1701.255, Occupations Code, as amended
  by this Act, applies only to a person who submits an application for
  a peace officer license under Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, on or
  after the effective date of this Act.  A person who submits an
  application for a peace officer license under Chapter 1701,
  Occupations Code, before the effective date of this Act is governed
  by the law in effect on the date the application was submitted, and
  the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 16.  Section 9.51, Penal Code, as amended by this
  Act, applies only to an offense committed on or after the effective
  date of this Act. An offense committed before the effective date of
  this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was
  committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that
  purpose. For purposes of this section, an offense was committed
  before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense
  occurred before that date.
         SECTION 17.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
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