Regular Session
Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) • State Auditor's Office
Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation
No changes required. This bill does not alter agreements regarding off-duty police employment, private security vendors, or memorandums of understanding with local law enforcement.
No changes required. The bill applies only to the ~25 state employees working as investigators for TCOLE. It does not affect certification requirements for private security or corporate safety officers.
No changes required. No new forms or filings are created for private businesses.
No impact. The fiscal cost ($337,010/year) is borne entirely by the State General Revenue Fund. There are no fee increases for TCOLE licensees or regulated businesses.
There are no ambiguities affecting the private sector. The legislation leaves the specific mapping of TCOLE job titles to the State Auditor’s Office (e.g., mapping an "Investigator VI" to "Sergeant C4"), but this is an internal administrative process with no external regulatory impact.
Our government affairs experts can walk you through this bill's specific impact on your operations.
Schedule ConsultationInformation presented is for general knowledge only and is provided without warranty, express or implied. Consult qualified government affairs professionals and legal counsel before making compliance decisions.
This bill's path through the Texas Legislature
BILL ANALYSIS
| Senate Research Center | S.B. 1321 |
| 89R4937 LRM-F | By: Hagenbuch |
| Criminal Justice | |
| 3/21/2025 | |
| As Filed |
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Schedule C is a classification on the pay scale used to compensate state employees. It outlines the salary structure for various law enforcement positions, including Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Rangers, and other commissioned personnel. The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) has identified certain positions on their staff that would benefit from being placed in the Schedule C classification. Recruitment and retention is a struggle across law enforcement agencies currently, and increasing these positions to a more competitive pay scale will help TCOLE retain quality peace officers for these vital occupations.
S.B. 1321 seeks to add certain TCOLE peace officers to those eligible for Schedule C benefits. It also adds peace officers from TCOLE to the list of officers eligible for injury leave benefits, and grants TCOLE the authority to commission certified peace officers as investigators. This bill will expand hazard duty pay and injury leave benefits to additional law enforcement personnel. It will also ensure TCOLE peace officers receive Schedule C pay, aligning their salaries with other comparable law enforcement positions, helping with recruitment and retention. S.B. 1321 will strengthen the investigative authority within TCOLE.
As proposed, S.B. 1321 amends current law relating to compensation and leave for certain peace officers.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 659.301(5), Government Code, to redefine "state employee."
SECTION 2. Amends Section 661.918(a), Government Code, to provide that Section 661.918 (Injury Leave for Certain Peace Officers) applies to a peace officer under Article 2A.001 (Peace Officers Generally), Code of Criminal Procedure, who is commissioned as a law enforcement officer or agent, including a ranger, by certain entities, including the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE), and to make nonsubstantive changes.
SECTION 3. Amends Section 1701.160, Occupations Code, as follows:
Sec. 1701.160. AUTHORITY TO COMMISSION INVESTIGATORS AS PEACE OFFICERS. (a) Creates this subsection from existing text and makes no further changes.
(b) Requires TCOLE to ensure a peace officer commissioned under Subsection (a) is compensated according to Schedule C of the position classification salary schedule prescribed by the General Appropriations Act.
SECTION 4. (a) Requires the classification officer in the Office of the State Auditor to classify the position of commissioned peace officer employed by TCOLE as a Schedule C position under the position classification plan maintained under Chapter 654 (Position Classification), Government Code.
(b) Provides that the change made by the classification officer as required by this section applies beginning with the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2025.
(c) Provides that this section expires September 1, 2027.
SECTION 5. Makes application of this Act prospective.
SECTION 6. Effective date: September 1, 2025.
| S.B. No. 1321 | ||
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| relating to compensation and leave for certain peace officers. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. 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, the Texas Commission on Law | ||
| Enforcement, or the insurance fraud unit of the Texas Department of | ||
| Insurance; | ||
| (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 2. 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; [ |
||
| (6) the comptroller; or | ||
| (7) the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. | ||
| SECTION 3. Section 1701.160, Occupations Code, is amended | ||
| to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 1701.160. AUTHORITY TO COMMISSION INVESTIGATORS AS | ||
| PEACE OFFICERS. (a) The commission may commission certified peace | ||
| officers as investigators employed by the commission for the | ||
| limited purpose of assisting the commission in administering this | ||
| chapter. | ||
| (b) The commission shall ensure a peace officer | ||
| commissioned under Subsection (a) is compensated according to | ||
| Schedule C of the position classification salary schedule | ||
| prescribed by the General Appropriations Act. | ||
| SECTION 4. (a) The classification officer in the office of | ||
| the state auditor shall classify the position of commissioned peace | ||
| officer employed by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement 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 5. 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 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. | ||
| TO: | Honorable Pete Flores, Chair, Senate Committee on Criminal Justice |
| FROM: | Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB1321 by Hagenbuch (Relating to compensation and leave for certain peace officers.), As Introduced |
| Fiscal Year | Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds |
|---|---|
| 2026 | ($337,010) |
| 2027 | ($337,010) |
| 2028 | ($337,010) |
| 2029 | ($337,010) |
| 2030 | ($337,010) |
| Fiscal Year | Probable Savings/(Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1 |
|---|---|
| 2026 | ($337,010) |
| 2027 | ($337,010) |
| 2028 | ($337,010) |
| 2029 | ($337,010) |
| 2030 | ($337,010) |
| Source Agencies: | 407 Commission on Law Enforcement |
| LBB Staff: | JMc, MGol, CSh, HE |
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Common questions about SB1321
SB 1321 mandates salary reclassification and injury leave benefits strictly for peace officers employed directly by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE). This legislation imposes no new obligations, costs, or liabilities on private sector employers or local businesses. Implementation Timeline Effective Date: September 1, 2025.
SB1321 was authored by Texas Senator Brent Hagenbuch during the Regular Session.
SB1321 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on May 30, 2025.
SB1321 is enforced by Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) and State Auditor's Office.
The compliance urgency for SB1321 is rated as "low". Businesses and organizations should review the requirements and timeline to ensure timely compliance.
The cost impact of SB1321 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.
SB1321 addresses topics including law enforcement, salaries & expenses, state employees, peace officers and law enforcement, texas commission on.
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