Bill > SB281

This bill establishes new requirements for retaining and disclosing complaints alleging official oppression (a criminal offense defined in the Texas Penal Code) against law enforcement officers. Specifically, municipal departments, political subdivision departments, and municipalities must retain any complaint alleging official oppression for at least five years after the officer's employment ends and create a permanent abstract of the complaint that can be kept indefinitely after the original document is destroyed. The bill removes certain discretionary exceptions to public disclosure under the Government Code, making these complaints and their abstracts more transparently available to the public. The law applies to complaints against police and peace officers and overrides any conflicting provisions in existing laws or collective bargaining agreements. While the complaints must be retained and disclosed, the bill still allows for withholding of information that is legally confidential, such as personal identifying details protected by privacy statutes. The bill will take effect immediately if it receives a two-thirds vote in the Texas legislature, or on September 1, 2025, if it does not receive the immediate voting threshold. Contracts executed before the bill's effective date will continue to be governed by previous law.

Justice

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB281