bill lets federal agents serve as armed school security

The text as introduced · 462 words

By: Curry
H.B. No. 1340

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to certain federal law enforcement agents serving as armed

security officers at public schools and the authority of the chief

of school safety and security for the Texas Education Agency to

carry a weapon on public school grounds.

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

SECTION 1. Section 37.0814(b), Education Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(b) A security officer described by Subsection (a) must be:

(1) a school district peace officer;

(2) a school resource officer; [ or ]

(3) a commissioned peace officer employed as security

personnel under Section 37.081 ; or

(4) a current or former licensed federal law

enforcement agent who is authorized to carry a weapon while on duty .

SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 37, Education Code, is

amended by adding Section 37.088 to read as follows:

Sec. 37.088. CHIEF OF SCHOOL SAFETY AND SECURITY. An

individual appointed by the governor as chief of school safety and

security for the agency may carry a weapon on the grounds of any

school district or open-enrollment charter school campus or

facility in this state if the individual is a commissioned peace

officer or a current or former licensed federal law enforcement

agent who is authorized to carry a weapon while on duty.

SECTION 3. Section 46.15, Penal Code, is amended by adding

Subsection (s) to read as follows:

(s) Section 46.03(a)(1) does not apply to a person appointed

as chief of school safety and security for the Texas Education

Agency if the person is:

(1) carrying the weapon on the premises of a public

primary or secondary school or on any grounds or building owned by

and under the control of the school; and

(2) authorized to carry a weapon under Section 37.088,

Education Code.

SECTION 4. Section 46.15, Penal Code, as amended by this

Act, applies only to an offense committed on or after the effective

date of this Act. An offense committed before the effective date of

this Act is governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was

committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that

purpose. For purposes of this section, an offense was committed

before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense

occurred before that date.

SECTION 5. Section 37.0814, Education Code, as amended by

this Act, applies beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.

SECTION 6. 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.