H.B. No. 4023 amends Section 1702.322 of the Occupations Code to exempt certain reserve peace officers from being regulated as private security personnel. The bill specifies that a reserve peace officer is exempt if they are appointed by a state law enforcement agency or a local law enforcement agency in the county where they are performing duties such as guarding, patrolling, or watching for any person or state agency. Additionally, the reserve peace officer must be compensated solely by the state agency or political subdivision, have approval from the chief administrative officer of their appointing agency to perform these duties, and work in a county with a population between 250,000 and 650,000 that is adjacent to an international border.

The bill also clarifies the conditions under which full-time peace officers can engage in private employment without being subject to regulation, emphasizing that they must not be reserve peace officers and must meet specific employment criteria. The changes aim to streamline the regulations surrounding reserve peace officers while ensuring that they are still accountable under certain conditions. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Occupations Code 1702.322 (Occupations Code 1702)
House Committee Report: Occupations Code 1702.322 (Occupations Code 1702)
Engrossed: Occupations Code 1702.322 (Occupations Code 1702)