TexasLaw enforcement agencies would keep employee files with restricted access
Texas law enforcement agencies would keep confidential files for licensed employees, including misconduct claims without enough supporting evidence, while allowing certain hiring reviews and legally required sharing.
What it does
Law enforcement agencies would keep a separate file for each licensed employee. It would include records outside the required personnel file, including misconduct claims without enough supporting evidence.
Hiring agencies could review files from past law enforcement employers. Employers would share contents with the licensing commission under required policies or upon its request during an employee investigation.
Department files would be confidential and unavailable through public records requests. Exceptions would cover hiring-agency review, sharing with the licensing commission, and disclosures required by other laws.
Argument forReviewing past employers’ files could help hiring agencies identify concerns to investigate, even when earlier misconduct claims lacked enough evidence.
Argument againstBlocking public records access to these files could make it harder for residents to examine how agencies handle employee misconduct claims.
More detail
Agency heads or their chosen representatives would maintain a separate department file for each licensed employee. The file would contain documents about the employee that are not included in the personnel file required under agency policy. The file would include misconduct claims that the agency finds lack enough evidence to support the charge. If enacted, the file requirement would take effect on the 91st day after the legislative session ends.
Hiring agencies would have a right to review these files, and employers would provide their contents to the licensing commission in specified cases. A hiring law enforcement agency could review the employee’s department file from each previous law enforcement employer. Employers would provide contents under the agency policy required by the referenced law or upon a commission request during an ongoing investigation of the employee. Hiring reviews would follow the referenced law governing those reviews. If enacted, these access and sharing rules would take effect on the 91st day after the legislative session ends.
Agencies would keep department files confidential and exclude them from public records access, with specified exceptions. The restriction would cover information in licensed employees’ department files. Hiring-agency review and sharing with the licensing commission would be exceptions. Agencies would also make disclosures required by other laws. Agencies would direct other people or agencies requesting information to the agency head or the head’s chosen representative. If enacted, the confidentiality rules would take effect on the 91st day after the legislative session ends.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2025
- Sep 2Senate Amendments Analysis distributedLatest
- Vote recorded passage. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded passage. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded final passage. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded passage. Result: pass.Upper
- Sep 2Senate Amendments distributed
- Sep 2Senate passage as amended reportedMajor
- Sep 2Remarks ordered printed
- Sep 2Record vote
- Sep 2PassedPassed Senate
- Sep 2Read 3rd timeMinor
- Sep 2Record vote
- Sep 2Three day rule suspended
- Sep 2Record vote
- Sep 2Read 2nd time & passed to 3rd readingMinor
- Sep 2Record vote
- Sep 2Rules suspended-Regular order of business
- Sep 2Printing rule suspended
- Sep 2Committee report printed and distributed
- Sep 2Reported favorably as substitutedMinor
- Sep 2Vote taken in committee
- Sep 2Considered in public hearing
- Sep 2Referred to State AffairsMinor
- Sep 2Read first timeMinor
- Sep 2Received from the HouseMinor
- Sep 2Co-sponsor authorized
- Aug 29Reported engrossed
- Aug 28Reason for vote recorded in Journal
- Vote recorded passage. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded adoption of amendment. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded passage. Result: pass.Lower
- Aug 28Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
- Aug 28Record vote
- Aug 28PassedPassed House
- Aug 28Read 3rd timeMinor
- Aug 28Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
- Aug 28Record vote
- Aug 28Passed to engrossment as amendedMajor
- Aug 28AmendedMajor
- Aug 28Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
- Aug 28Record vote
- Aug 28Motion to table fails
- Aug 28Amendment(s) offeredMinor
- Aug 28Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
- Aug 28Record vote
- Aug 28AmendedMajor
- Aug 28Read 2nd timeMinor
- Aug 28Placed on General State Calendar
- Aug 27Considered in Calendars
- Aug 27Committee report sent to Calendars
- Aug 26Committee report distributed
- Aug 26Comte report filed with Committee CoordinatorMinor
- Aug 26Reported favorably as substitutedMinor
- Aug 26Committee substitute considered in committeeMajor
- Aug 26Considered in formal meeting
- Aug 18Referred to Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' AffairsMinor
- Aug 18Read first timeMinor
- Aug 15FiledIntroduced
- Sep 2Senate Amendments Analysis distributedLatest
Criminal JusticeGovernment & Ethics