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Texas Legislature· HB 3248Effective on 9/1/25

Relating to the authority of a defense base development authority to employ and commission peace officers, the official text

Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official page posted by the Texas Legislature, fetched 2026-08-29. Where this bill amends existing law, language marked for deletion in the official page appears here in brackets. This is the enrolled version. The official bill page.
H.B. No. 3248

AN ACT

relating to the authority of a defense base development authority

to employ and commission peace officers.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Chapter 379B, Local Government Code, is amended

by adding Section 379B.0046 to read as follows:

Sec. 379B.0046. EMPLOYMENT OF AUTHORITY PEACE OFFICERS.

(a) The board may employ and commission peace officers for the

authority to prevent or abate the commission of offenses relating

to port functions, facilities, and operations under state or local

law.

(b) The jurisdiction of a peace officer commissioned under

this section includes the property owned or controlled by the

authority.

(c) In a peace officer's jurisdiction, the peace officer has

the authority granted by Chapter 14, Code of Criminal Procedure.

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, 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; or

(E) the board of directors of a defense base

development authority established under Chapter 379B, Local

Government 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. To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails

over another Act of the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025,

relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted

codes.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

______________________________
______________________________

President of the Senate
Speaker of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 3248 was passed by the House on April

30, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 133, Nays 0, 2 present, not

voting.

______________________________

Chief Clerk of the House

I certify that H.B. No. 3248 was passed by the Senate on May

9, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

______________________________

Secretary of the Senate

APPROVED: _____________________

Date

_____________________

Governor
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