2025S0007-1 11/22/24
	By: Perry	S.B. No. 502

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to peace officers commissioned by the Health and Human
	Services Commission's office of inspector general.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Article 2A.001, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
	amended to read as follows:
	Art. 2A.001.  PEACE OFFICERS GENERALLY. The following are
	peace officers:
	(1)  a sheriff, a sheriff's deputy, or a reserve deputy
	sheriff who holds a permanent peace officer license issued under
	Chapter 1701, Occupations Code;
	(2)  a constable, a deputy constable, or a reserve
	deputy constable who holds a permanent peace officer license issued
	under Chapter 1701, Occupations Code;
	(3)  a marshal or police officer of a municipality or a
	reserve municipal police officer who holds a permanent peace
	officer license issued under Chapter 1701, Occupations Code;
	(4)  a ranger, officer, or member of the reserve
	officer corps commissioned by the Public Safety Commission and the
	director of the Department of Public Safety;
	(5)  an investigator of a district attorney's, criminal
	district attorney's, or county attorney's office;
	(6)  a law enforcement agent of the Texas Alcoholic
	Beverage Commission;
	(7)  a member of an arson investigating unit
	commissioned by a municipality, a county, or the state;
	(8)  an officer commissioned under Section 37.081,
	Education Code, or Subchapter E, Chapter 51, Education Code;
	(9)  an officer commissioned by the Texas Facilities
	Commission;
	(10)  a law enforcement officer commissioned by the
	Parks and Wildlife Commission;
	(11)  an officer commissioned under Chapter 23,
	Transportation Code;
	(12)  a municipal park and recreational patrol officer
	or security officer;
	(13)  a security officer or investigator commissioned
	as a peace officer by the comptroller;
	(14)  an officer commissioned by a water control and
	improvement district under Section 49.216, Water Code;
	(15)  an officer commissioned by a board of trustees
	under Chapter 54, Transportation Code;
	(16)  an investigator commissioned by the Texas Medical
	Board;
	(17)  an officer commissioned by:
	(A)  the board of managers of the Dallas County
	Hospital District, the Tarrant County Hospital District, the Bexar
	County Hospital District, or the El Paso County Hospital District
	under Section 281.057, Health and Safety Code;
	(B)  the board of directors of the Ector County
	Hospital District under Section 1024.117, Special District Local
	Laws Code;
	(C)  the board of directors of the Midland County
	Hospital District of Midland County, Texas, under Section 1061.121,
	Special District Local Laws Code; or
	(D)  the board of hospital managers of the Lubbock
	County Hospital District of Lubbock County, Texas, under Section
	1053.113, Special District Local Laws Code;
	(18)  a county park ranger commissioned under
	Subchapter E, Chapter 351, Local Government Code;
	(19)  an investigator employed by the Texas Racing
	Commission;
	(20)  an officer commissioned under Chapter 554,
	Occupations Code;
	(21)  an officer commissioned by the governing body of
	a metropolitan rapid transit authority under Section 451.108,
	Transportation Code, or a regional transportation authority under
	Section 452.110, Transportation Code;
	(22)  an investigator commissioned by the attorney
	general under Section 402.009, Government Code;
	(23)  a security officer or investigator commissioned
	as a peace officer under Chapter 466, Government Code;
	(24)  an officer appointed by an appellate court under
	Subchapter F, Chapter 53, Government Code;
	(25)  an officer commissioned by the state fire marshal
	under Chapter 417, Government Code;
	(26)  an investigator commissioned by the commissioner
	of insurance under Section 701.104, Insurance Code;
	(27)  an apprehension specialist or inspector general
	commissioned by the Texas Juvenile Justice Department as an officer
	under Section 242.102 or 243.052, Human Resources Code;
	(28)  an officer appointed by the inspector general of
	the Texas Department of Criminal Justice under Section 493.019,
	Government Code;
	(29)  an investigator commissioned by the Texas
	Commission on Law Enforcement under Section 1701.160, Occupations
	Code;
	(30)  a fire marshal or any related officer, inspector,
	or investigator commissioned by a county under Subchapter B,
	Chapter 352, Local Government Code;
	(31)  a fire marshal or any officer, inspector, or
	investigator commissioned by an emergency services district under
	Chapter 775, Health and Safety Code;
	(32)  an officer commissioned by the State Board of
	Dental Examiners under Section 254.013, Occupations Code, subject
	to the limitations imposed by that section; [and]
	(33)  an investigator commissioned by the Texas
	Juvenile Justice Department as an officer under Section 221.011,
	Human Resources Code; and
	(34)  an officer commissioned and employed by the
	Health and Human Services Commission's office of inspector general.
	SECTION 2.  Section 544.0107, Government Code, as effective
	April 1, 2025, is amended by adding Subsection (d) to read as
	follows:
	(d)  The office of inspector general shall ensure a peace
	officer employed under this section is compensated according to
	Schedule C of the position classification salary schedule
	prescribed by the General Appropriations Act.
	SECTION 3.  Section 659.301(5), Government Code, is amended
	to read as follows:
	(5)  "State employee" means an individual who:
	(A)  is a commissioned law enforcement officer of
	the Department of Public Safety, the Texas Facilities Commission,
	the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, the Texas Department of
	Criminal Justice, the attorney general, [or] the insurance fraud
	unit of the Texas Department of Insurance, or the Health and Human
	Services Commission's office of inspector general;
	(B)  is a commissioned security officer of the
	comptroller;
	(C)  is a law enforcement officer commissioned by
	the Parks and Wildlife Commission;
	(D)  is a commissioned peace officer of an
	institution of higher education;
	(E)  is an employee or official of the Board of
	Pardons and Paroles or the parole division of the Texas Department
	of Criminal Justice if the employee or official has routine direct
	contact with inmates of any penal or correctional institution or
	with administratively released prisoners subject to the board's
	jurisdiction;
	(F)  has been certified to the Employees
	Retirement System of Texas under Section 815.505 as having begun
	employment as a law enforcement officer or custodial officer,
	unless the individual has been certified to the system as having
	ceased employment as a law enforcement officer or custodial
	officer;
	(G)  before May 29, 1987, received hazardous duty
	pay based on the terms of any state law if the individual holds a
	position designated under that law as eligible for the pay; or
	(H)  is a security officer employed by the Texas
	Military Department.
	SECTION 4.  Section 661.918(a), Government Code, is amended
	to read as follows:
	(a)  This section applies to a peace officer under Article
	2A.001, Code of Criminal Procedure, who is commissioned as a law
	enforcement officer or agent, including a ranger, by:
	(1)  the Public Safety Commission and the director of
	the Department of Public Safety;
	(2)  the Parks and Wildlife Commission;
	(3)  the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission;
	(4)  the attorney general; or
	(5)  the insurance fraud unit of the Texas Department
	of Insurance; [or]
	(6)  the comptroller; or
	(7)  the Health and Human Services Commission's office
	of inspector general.
	SECTION 5.  (a) The classification officer in the office of
	the state auditor shall classify the position of commissioned peace
	officer employed as an investigator by the Health and Human
	Services Commission's office of inspector general as a Schedule C
	position under the position classification plan maintained under
	Chapter 654, Government Code.
	(b)  The change made by the classification officer as
	required by this section applies beginning with the state fiscal
	biennium beginning September 1, 2025.
	(c)  This section expires September 1, 2027.
	SECTION 6.  Section 661.918(a), Government Code, as amended
	by this Act, applies only to an injury that occurs on or after the
	effective date of this Act.
	SECTION 7.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.