Bill > SB2144

This bill modifies the legal provisions governing reserve peace officers in Texas, clarifying their authority, limitations, and employment conditions across multiple sections of local government and occupations codes. The bill removes previous distinctions between peace officers described in Article 2A.001 and those who are not, and introduces several new restrictions on reserve officers' activities. Specifically, reserve deputies, constables, and police officers will now be prohibited from performing actions requiring a license under Chapter 1702 of the Occupations Code unless they are properly licensed, and they cannot use police vehicles outside their county for private gain. The bill also limits police escorts to those that begin or end within the county or municipality. Additionally, reserve peace officers remain ineligible for financial benefits typically associated with full-time employment, such as participation in county programs or pension funds for full-time peace officers. The legislation removes some previous language that distinguished between different types of reserve officers and standardizes their treatment under the law, with the changes set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

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https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=SB2144