SB 502 Texas Senate · 89th Legislature (2025)

Relating to peace officers commissioned by the Health and Human Services Commission's office of inspector general.

SB 502 adds a new category to Texas law defining who qualifies as a peace officer: employees commissioned by the Health and Human Services Commission’s office of inspector general. This change grants these specific HHS inspectors authority to perform standard peace officer duties, such as making arrests, within their scope of work. The bill also requires these officers to be paid according to Schedule C of the state’s position classification salary schedule. Additionally, it updates the definition of "state employee" to include these HHS inspector general officers.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Nov 2024

Committee Review

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

May 2025

House Passage

May 2025

Signed into Law

Jun 2025

Introduced Nov 25, 2024 Signed Jun 20, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Engrossed → Enrolled · 4 edits · Jun 20, 2025

MODERATE

This bill adds the Health and Human Services Commission's Office of Inspector General to the list of state agencies that can commission peace officers, ensuring these officers are classified as Schedule C positions and included in the definition of state employees for retirement and benefits purposes.

Scope change

Expanded the scope of peace officer classification to include investigators commissioned by the Health and Human Services Commission's Office of Inspector General, previously not covered under these specific state employee classifications.

ELIGIBILITY

Added the Health and Human Services Commission's Office of Inspector General to the list of agencies that can commission peace officers under Article 2A.001 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'State employee' in the Government Code to include commissioned peace officers from the Health and Human Services Commission's Office of Inspector General.

REQUIREMENT

Required that peace officers employed by the Health and Human Services Commission's Office of Inspector General be compensated according to Schedule C of the position classification salary schedule.

TIMELINE

Set the effective date for the new classification as September 1, 2025, with the provision expiring on September 1, 2027.

Floor votes · House May 21, 2025

How they voted

This bill passed the Senate by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jun 20, 2025

Signed into law

Signed by the Governor

executive

May 26, 2025

Lower · Passed

Signed in the House

lower

May 26, 2025

Upper · Passed

Signed in the Senate

upper

May 23, 2025

Upper · Passed

House passage reported

upper

May 22, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed

lower

May 21, 2025

House · Passed

House Vote: pass (138-2-2)

house

Apr 25, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report sent to Calendars

lower

Apr 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

Committee report distributed

lower

Apr 15, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)

lower

Apr 9, 2025

Committee

Referred to Human Services

lower

Apr 9, 2025

Introduced

Read first time

lower

Mar 27, 2025

Introduced

Received from the Senate

lower

Mar 26, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed

upper

Mar 17, 2025

Upper · Passed

Committee report printed and distributed

upper

Mar 17, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably as substituted

upper

Mar 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

Vote taken in committee

upper

Mar 5, 2025

Upper · Passed

Left pending in committee

upper

Mar 5, 2025

Upper · Passed

Testimony taken in committee

upper

Feb 3, 2025

Committee

Referred to Health & Human Services

upper

Feb 3, 2025

Introduced

Read first time

upper

3 primary · 0 co-sponsors