Relating to the eligibility of a person to serve on a civilian oversight board.

Contracts

• Background Screening Vendors: You must amend the Scope of Work (SOW) with third-party screening firms. Standard criminal history checks often report only final convictions. The contract must explicitly require reporting of deferred adjudication for felony offenses.
• Board Appointments: Update appointment letters and agreements to include an automatic removal clause triggered by the discovery of a disqualifying offense.

Hiring/Training

• Vetting Protocols: Human Resources or the City Secretary’s office must implement a "Deep Vetting" protocol for all COB nominees. A standard "pass/fail" check is insufficient; the specific nature of any past judicial outcome must be reviewed.
• Board Member Onboarding: Update onboarding materials to clearly state that eligibility is continuous. A felony charge resulting in deferred adjudication during a member's tenure results in immediate disqualification.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

• Affidavit of Eligibility: Create and mandate a sworn affidavit for all current and future members. The affiant must state under penalty of perjury that they have never received deferred adjudication for a felony.
• Audit Logs: Maintain a secure compliance log proving that every sitting member was re-screened against SB 1957 standards prior to September 1, 2025.

Fees & Costs

• Administrative Costs: Nominal increases in background check fees for more comprehensive screening.
• Litigation Risk: High potential cost. If an ineligible member votes on officer discipline, the municipality faces costly litigation to defend the validity of that decision.