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.
S.B. No. 502 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. ______________________________ ______________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House I hereby certify that S.B. No. 502 passed the Senate on March 26, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. ______________________________ Secretary of the Senate I hereby certify that S.B. No. 502 passed the House on May 22, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 134, Nays 0, two present not voting. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House Approved: ______________________________ Date ______________________________ Governor
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