Senate Bill No. 502, introduced by Perry, amends the Code of Criminal Procedure to include peace officers commissioned by the Health and Human Services Commission's office of inspector general as recognized peace officers in Texas. Specifically, the bill adds a new category (34) to Article 2A.001, which identifies these officers as peace officers, thereby granting them the same legal status as other law enforcement personnel listed in the article. Additionally, the bill modifies Section 544.0107 of the Government Code to ensure that peace officers employed by the office of inspector general are compensated according to Schedule C of the position classification salary schedule as prescribed by the General Appropriations Act.

Furthermore, the bill updates the definition of "state employee" in Section 659.301(5) to include commissioned officers from the Health and Human Services Commission's office of inspector general, thereby extending certain employment benefits and protections to them. It also amends Section 661.918(a) to apply specific provisions to these officers. The classification officer in the state auditor's office is tasked with classifying the position of these commissioned peace officers as a Schedule C position, effective from the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2025. The bill is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Government Code 659.301, Government Code 661.918 (Government Code 661, Government Code 659)
Senate Committee Report: Government Code 659.301, Government Code 661.918 (Government Code 661, Government Code 659)
Engrossed: Government Code 659.301, Government Code 661.918 (Government Code 661, Government Code 659)
House Committee Report: Government Code 659.301, Government Code 661.918 (Government Code 661, Government Code 659)