Regular Session
Harris County Hospital District (Board of Managers)
Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation
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This bill's path through the Texas Legislature
BILL ANALYSIS
| Senate Research Center | S.B. 434 |
| 89R383 MPF-D | By: Miles |
| Local Government | |
| 4/4/2025 | |
| As Filed |
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Workplace violence at hospitals experienced by hospital employees at the hands of patients and patient family members is on the rise. There have been numerous reports of nurses and medical support staff being physically assaulted while trying to perform their jobs. While the Harris County Sheriff's Office currently provides security at county healthcare facilities, issues still persist due to staff shortages in law enforcement.
S.B. 434 grants the Harris County Hospital District the authority to employ and commission peace officers. Upon passage, S.B. 434 would allow Harris County Hospital District to join other hospital districts in Texas, such as the Dallas County Hospital District and the Tarrant County Hospital District, which already have the authority to employ and commission peace officers.
As proposed, S.B. 434 amends current law relating to the authority of the Harris County Hospital District to employ and commission 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 281.057(a), Health and Safety Code to authorize the boards of certain hospital districts, including the Harris County Hospital District, to employ and commission peace officers for the district, and to make a nonsubstantive change.
SECTION 2. Amends Article 2A.001, Code of Criminal Procedure, as follows:
Art. 2A.001.� PEACE OFFICERS GENERALLY.� Provides that certain individuals are peace officers, including an officer commissioned by certain hospital districts, including the Harris County Hospital District, under Section 281.057 (Employment of District Peace Officers), Health and Safety Code. Makes a nonsubstantive change.
SECTION 3.� Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2025.
| S.B. No. 434 | ||
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| relating to the authority of the Harris County Hospital District to | ||
| employ and commission peace officers. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Section 281.057(a), Health and Safety Code, is | ||
| amended to read as follows: | ||
| (a) The board of the Dallas County Hospital District, the | ||
| Tarrant County Hospital District, the Bexar County Hospital | ||
| District, [ |
||
| County Hospital District may employ and commission peace officers | ||
| for the district. | ||
| SECTION 2. 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, [ |
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| District, or the Harris 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. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
| a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
| provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
| Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
| Act takes effect September 1, 2025. | ||
| TO: | Honorable Paul Bettencourt, Chair, Senate Committee on Local Government |
| FROM: | Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB434 by Miles (Relating to the authority of the Harris County Hospital District to employ and commission peace officers.), As Introduced |
| Source Agencies: | 529 Health and Human Services Commission |
| LBB Staff: | JMc, SZ, BC, CWi |
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Common questions about SB434
SB434 statutorily authorizes the Harris County Hospital District (Harris Health System) to establish an internal law enforcement agency, transitioning from private security or contract deputies to commissioned peace officers. This legislation creates a new liability framework for the District under 42 U. S.
SB434 was authored by Texas Senator Borris Miles during the Regular Session.
SB434 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on May 29, 2025.
SB434 is enforced by Harris County Hospital District (Board of Managers).
The compliance urgency for SB434 is rated as "low". Businesses and organizations should review the requirements and timeline to ensure timely compliance.
The cost impact of SB434 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.
SB434 addresses topics including harris county hospital district, law enforcement, special districts & authorities, special districts & authorities--hospital and peace officers.
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