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;                (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.  It is the intent of the 89th Legislature, Regular   Session, 2025, that the amendments made by this Act to Article   2A.001, Code of Criminal Procedure, be harmonized with another Act   of the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025, relating to   nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted codes.          SECTION 8.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.