HB 1009

[MikeHoncho]

School Marshal bill. What is TSRA's stance on this bill?

[MikeHoncho]

No one has any info/opinions?

[smtimelevi]

Looks like a a bill from last session unless I'm mistaken?

http://legiscan.com/TX/text/HB1009/id/308940" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Mike1951]

HB 1009 Author: Villalba Sponsor:
Last Action: 02/06/2013 H Filed
Caption Version: Introduced
Caption: Relating to the creation of a new category of law enforcement officer who shall be designated a school marshal, the training and appointment of certain employees of a school district or open-enrollment charter school as school marshals, and the rights, restrictions, limitations, and responsibilities of school marshals; authorizing the imposition of a fee.

[smtimelevi]

Interesting. This is the first I've herd of this. I don't really see the need for it here. In San Antonio most of the school districts have their own Police Dept's. I'm not sure if they are staffed well enough but they ought to be. I dont know if the specific PD's for school districts exist in the rest of Texas but I think that they should be able to handle security. I dont really see the need to create new laws to do something that is already being done.

[HK_USP_45]

Here's my problem with this bill. It creates a new class of "peace officer" and mentions the ability to arrest. But, it states that a School Marshal that is in contact with students as their primary duty cannot carry the weapon on their person. They have to lock it up. That will remove over 85% of the school staff from being able to carry concealed which will greatly impact response time. There is adaquate law on the books now to allow school staff to conceal carry with a CHL and allow the local school district to determine the requirements. The school staff does not need powers of arrest above what is allowed by any citizen. This is a bad law.