House Bill No. 4956 proposes the addition of Section 1701.318 to the Occupations Code, which mandates that peace officers must obtain certification to conduct polygraph examinations for specific purposes, including preemployment assessments, criminal investigations, and post-conviction sex offender tests. The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement is tasked with establishing the minimum training, testing, and certification requirements for these officers. To be certified, peace officers must complete an approved training course and pass an examination that evaluates their knowledge of investigative polygraphy.

Furthermore, the bill stipulates that certified peace officers must adhere to guidelines set by the American Polygraph Association when conducting post-conviction sex offender tests. The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement is required to adopt the necessary rules for implementation as soon as practicable after the bill's effective date, which is set for September 1, 2025. However, compliance with these new rules will not be mandatory until January 1, 2027, allowing time for the necessary training and certification processes to be established.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: ()