Relating to the employment of certain peace officers of the Department of Public Safety.
Summary
SB 2383 amends Section 411.007 of the Government Code to create an exception for certain retired commissioned officers of the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) who return to work for the department as commissioned officers. Under the bill, the existing restrictions in Subsections (e), (e-1), and (f) do not apply to a DPS retiree who is reemployed in that same commissioned-officer role.
The bill defines a "retired commissioned officer" as a retiree of the Employees Retirement System of Texas whose last job before retirement was as a DPS commissioned officer. The change applies only to people hired on or after the bill's effective date, and the act takes effect September 1, 2025.
Impact
The bill narrows the application of current employment restrictions in Government Code Section 411.007 for a specific class of DPS retirees, allowing them to be hired back as commissioned officers without being subject to the cited subsections. In practical terms, it affects DPS hiring and reemployment practices, as well as the employment status of retired commissioned officers under the Employees Retirement System of Texas. It does not broadly change peace officer law, but instead creates a targeted exception for post-retirement reemployment within DPS.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial. It passed the Senate unanimously and the House overwhelmingly, with 140 yeas, no nays, and two present not voting. The absence of committee transcript material also suggests there was little recorded public dispute or extended debate around the measure.
Contention
No significant contention is evident in the available record. The main policy issue is whether retired DPS commissioned officers should be exempt from the usual restrictions that otherwise apply to certain reemployed officers, but the unanimous and near-unanimous votes indicate that lawmakers largely agreed on the need for this narrow exception. Any concern would likely center on the treatment of retirees, reemployment rules, and how the exception interacts with existing public safety employment requirements.
Relating to the employment of honorably retired peace officers as school district security personnel and the applicability to those officers of certain law governing private security.
Relating to measures for ensuring public school safety, including the commissioning of peace officers by the Texas Education Agency, the composition of the board of directors of the Texas School Safety Center, and public school safety and security requirements and resources.
Relating to measures for ensuring public school safety, including the commissioning of peace officers by the Texas Education Agency, the composition of the board of directors of the Texas School Safety Center, and public school safety and security requirements and resources.