Monitoring the Session

SB 2502

Zaffirini Security Bill Covers Only Border Counties Of 250K To 650K

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review
Sen. Judith ZaffiriniDSenate 21
Why it's charged
Bracket bill

THE TEXT

…“population of at least 250,000 and no greater than 650,000 and”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The exemption works only in a county within a tight population band that also sits on an international border. That limits a statewide-looking change to a handful of counties, and the caption does not mention this limit.

Bracket bill

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the exemption of certain reserve peace officers from regulation as private security personnel.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Reserve officers can work security for anyone without a license, with their chief’s approval.

The bill widens an existing exemption so reserve peace officers can work private guard, patrol, extra-job coordinator, or watchman jobs for any person, state agency, or local government without a private security license, instead of only for a county. It touches reserve officers, the agencies that grant reserve status, and the businesses and governments that hire them for security work. The exemption still applies only when the reserve officer's chief administrator approves and the work is done in a border county with between 250,000 and 650,000 people, so most of Texas sees no change.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 13, 2025 and referred to the Senate Criminal Justice committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB2502 · 2025-03-13

SOLD BY

Sen. Judith ZaffiriniDSenate 21

ITEM

relating to the exemption of certain reserve peace officers from regulation as private security personnel.

WHAT IT DOES

Reserve officers can work security for anyone without a license, with their chief’s approval.

The bill widens an existing exemption so reserve peace officers can work private guard, patrol, extra-job coordinator, or watchman jobs for any person, state agency, or local government without a private security license, instead of only for a county. It touches reserve officers, the agencies that grant reserve status, and the businesses and governments that hire them for security work. The exemption still applies only when the reserve officer's chief administrator approves and the work is done in a border county with between 250,000 and 650,000 people, so most of Texas sees no change.

CHARGES

[x] BRACKET BILLanalysis confidence 75%

THE TEXT

…“population of at least 250,000 and no greater than 650,000 and”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The exemption works only in a county within a tight population band that also sits on an international border. That limits a statewide-looking change to a handful of counties, and the caption does not mention this limit.

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Received by the Secretary of the Senate
  2. Filed
  3. Read first time
  4. Referred to Criminal Justice
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Judith Zaffirini

Donors

Carlos M. Zaffirini Jr$110,000Killam Development Ltd.$73KTexas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$60K

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Jul 1, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Carlos M. Zaffirini Jr$110,000.00
Killam Development Ltd.$72,700.00

Killam Development Ltd.

$72,700.00

Cash
$10,000.00
Paid by others
$62,700.00
Total
$72,700.00
advertising $33,000.00media $29,700.00

Also funds 3 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Dec 9, 2024 to Sep 28, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 16, 2025 to Aug 20, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101011018, 101057658.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$60,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$60,000.00

Cash
$60,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$60,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 11, 2024 to Aug 31, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100959783, 100987492, 101011018, 101035338, 101057658.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

×

Killam Development Ltd.

$72,700.00

Cash
$10,000.00
Paid by others
$62,700.00
Total
$72,700.00
advertising $33,000.00media $29,700.00

Also funds 3 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Dec 9, 2024 to Sep 28, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 16, 2025 to Aug 20, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101011018, 101057658.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$60,000.00

Cash
$60,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$60,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 11, 2024 to Aug 31, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100959783, 100987492, 101011018, 101035338, 101057658.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Mar 13, 2025

04/03/2025 S Referred to Criminal Justice

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Senate committee · Criminal Justice · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

HB 4023 by Raymond (identical)

Subjects

Law Enforcement

Occupational Regulation--Other Trades & Professions

PEACE OFFICERS

PRIVATE INVESTIGATORS & PRIVATE SECURITY AGENCIES

Text

The text as introduced · 362 words

By: Zaffirini
S.B. No. 2502

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the exemption of certain reserve peace officers from

regulation as private security personnel.

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

SECTION 1. Section 1702.322, Occupations Code, is amended

to read as follows:

Sec 1702.322. LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSONNEL. This chapter does

not apply to:

(1) a person who has full-time employment as a peace

officer and who receives compensation for private employment on an

individual or an independent contractor basis as a patrolman,

guard, extra job coordinator, or watchman if the officer:

(A) is employed in an employee-employer

relationship or employed on an individual contractual basis:

(i) directly by the recipient of the

services; or

(ii) by a company licensed under this

chapter;

(B) is not in the employ of another peace

officer;

(C) is not a reserve peace officer; and

(D) works as a peace officer on the average of at

least 32 hours a week, is compensated by the state or a political

subdivision of the state at least at the minimum wage, and is

entitled to all employee benefits offered to a peace officer by the

state or political subdivision;

(2) a reserve peace officer while the reserve officer

is performing guard, patrolman, extra job coordinator, or watchman

duties for any person or a state agency or political subdivision [ a

county ] and is being compensated [ solely ] by that person or agency

or subdivision [ county ]; and

(A) the chief administrator of the agency

granting the reserve status approves; and

(B) the duties are performed in a county with a

population of at least 250,000 and no greater than 650,000 and

located on an international border;

(3) a peace officer acting in an official capacity in

responding to a burglar alarm or detection device; or

(4) a person engaged in the business of electronic

monitoring of an individual as a condition of that individual's

community supervision, parole, mandatory supervision, or release

on bail, if the person does not perform any other service that

requires a license under this chapter.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.