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HB 421 got attached to SB 2065 by Rep. Rinaldi and voila!!! It's law!! The approximately 29,000 mainstream churches in Texas can now protect their flocks and leaders, teachers, elders, etc. as they have always done!!

Considered in calandars 05/03.
Last chance for phone calls is tomorrow...

House Calendars Committee Members:

Chair: Rep. Todd Hunter
Vice Chair: Rep. Donna Howard
Members: Rep. Roberto R. Alonzo
Rep. Trent Ashby
Rep. Byron Cook
Rep. Sarah Davis
Rep. Charlie Geren
Rep. Helen Giddings
Rep. Kyle J. Kacal
Rep. Ken King
Rep. Linda Koop
Rep. Poncho Nevárez
Rep. Chris Paddie
Rep. Dade Phelan
Rep. Toni Rose

Well... I spoke too soon. HB 421 is languishing in the hands of the House Calendars Committee. Apparantly, 38 representatives signed on to the bill aren't enough. It's not too late though to put pressure on the Calandars Committee. Call now to express your support for the bill: (512) 463-0758

Many/most recorded broadcasts of the 85th House session committee hearings can be found here:

http://www.house.state.tx.us/video-audi ... dcasts/85/

And here is the recorded testimony on March 7th:

http://tlchouse.granicus.com/MediaPlaye ... p_id=12886

HB 421 is headed to the house floor...
The committee vote was 6 for and 3 against.

Here is the bill analysis, as substituted:

BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 421
By: Rinaldi
Homeland Security & Public Safety
Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties contend that the Private Security Act restricts a place of religious worship from creating a volunteer security patrol without meeting stringent licensing requirements. These parties note that providing security services without the required licenses may subject a place of religious worship and its volunteers to a fine. C.S.H.B. 421 attempts to address these concerns by exempting volunteers providing security services at a place of religious worship from the Private Security Act.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 421 amends the Occupations Code to exempt a person who is providing volunteer security services on the premises of a church, synagogue, or other established place of religious worship from the Private Security Act. The bill prohibits such a person from wearing a uniform or badge that contains the word "security" or that gives the person the appearance of being a peace officer, personal protection officer, or security officer.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 421 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

INTRODUCED
HOUSE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
SECTION 1. Subchapter N, Chapter 1702, Occupations Code, is amended by adding Section 1702.333 to read as follows:
Sec. 1702.333. PLACE OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP; CERTAIN VOLUNTEERS.

This chapter does not apply to a person who is providing volunteer security services on the premises of a church, synagogue, or other established place of religious worship.

SECTION 1. Subchapter N, Chapter 1702, Occupations Code, is amended by adding Section 1702.333 to read as follows:
Sec. 1702.333. PLACE OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP; CERTAIN VOLUNTEERS. (a) In this section, "volunteer security services" means services or activities that are:
(1) regulated under this chapter; and
(2) provided without compensation or remuneration.
(b) This chapter does not apply to a person who is providing volunteer security services on the premises of a church, synagogue, or other established place of religious worship.
(c) While providing volunteer security services under Subsection (b), a person may not wear a uniform or badge that:
(1) contains the word "security"; or
(2) gives the person the appearance of being a peace officer, personal protection officer, or security officer.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.

SECTION 2. Same as introduced version.

Here is the witness list:

WITNESS LIST
HB 421
HOUSE COMMITTEE REPORT
Homeland Security & Public Safety Committee
March 7, 2017 - 8:00 AM
For :
Asmussen, Cindy (Self)
Busby, William (Self)
Cavett, Brett (Green Acres Baptist Church)
Chinn, Carl (Self)
Collins, Michael (Self)
Dunn, Ray (Self; Southcrest Baptist Church)
Hinton, Stephen (Self)
Hodges, Dana (Self)
Inman, Eric (Self)
Meeks, Jimmy (Self)
Visser, Steve (Self; Hedge Protection Ministries)
Against :
Chadwick, Charles (Self; National Organization for Church Security and Safety
Management)
Chadwick, Marian (Self; National organization of church security and safety management
NOCSSM)
Jones, Chris (Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT))
Kellis, Charles (Self; ASSIST (Associated Security Services and Investigative Services of
Texas))
On :
Bowie, RenEarl (Texas department of public safety)
Registering, but not testifying:
For :
Bradford, Tray e (Self)
Cargill, Michael (Self; Texans for Accountable Government)
Castilla, Cindi (Self; Dallas Eagle Forum - Volunteer)
King, James (Self; City of Cisco and many area churches)
Schlueter, Thomas (Self; Texas Apostolic Prayer Network)
Smith, Mary (Self)
Smith, Mary (Self)
Against :
Kildow, Randy (Texas assn. Of licensed investigators)
Oakley, Keith (ASSIST Associated Security Services and Investigators of Texas)
rodriguez, Jimmy (San Antonio Police Officers Association)
On :
Moninger, Steve (Department of public safety)

This is the fiscal report:

LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 85TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

March 30, 2017

TO:
Honorable Phil King, Chair, House Committee on Homeland Security & Public Safety

FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board

IN RE:
HB421 by Rinaldi (Relating to an exemption from application of the Private Security Act for volunteer security services provided at a place of religious worship.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Occupations Code to exempt an individual from the provisions of the Private Security Act if the individual is providing volunteer security services on the premises of a church, synagogue, or other established place of religious worship. The bill would also proscribe individuals providing volunteer security services from presenting themselves as a peace officer, personal protection officer, or security officer. It is assumed any costs associated with implementing the provisions of this bill could be absorbed within existing resources.

This bill would take effect September 1, 2017.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:
405 Department of Public Safety
LBB Staff:
UP, FR, AI, JAW, WP

Personal comment/observations:

During public testimony the owner of Gatekeepers Security Services said that he was the person who posed the question to DPS that resulted in the opinion letter that agreed church security teams fall under 1702.

Another witness said he received an answer to his follow up question to DPS that reiterated how the original opinion was a non-binding "opinion"...

My guess is that the committee votes were partisan.

I went a day early to testify and added at least 2 representatives to the list of coauthors. On March 5th there was a primary author, Rinaldi, 2 joint authors, and 17 coauthors. As of today, there are 4 joint authors and 30 coauthors. Here is the current list:

Bill: HB 421
Legislative Session: 85(R)

Primary Author Date Filed

Rinaldi 11/21/2016

Joint Authors Date Signed On

Kuempel 03/07/2017
Villalba 03/15/2017
Phelan 02/20/2017
King, Phil 02/22/2017

Coauthors (30) Date Signed On

Anderson, Charles "Doc" 03/09/2017
Anderson, Rodney 02/21/2017
Biedermann 02/22/2017
Burkett 03/06/2017
Burns 03/15/2017
Burrows 02/21/2017
Cain 02/22/2017
Dean 03/06/2017
Faircloth 03/07/2017
Flynn 02/15/2017
Frank 03/07/2017
Hefner 02/16/2017
Keough 02/06/2017
Landgraf 03/15/2017
Lang 02/16/2017
Leach 03/22/2017
Metcalf 02/22/2017
Meyer 03/15/2017
Parker 03/07/2017
Paul 03/07/2017
Sanford 03/01/2017
Schaefer 03/07/2017
Schofield 02/27/2017
Shaheen 02/16/2017
Stickland 02/22/2017
Stucky 03/06/2017
Swanson 02/02/2017
Tinderholt 02/22/2017
White 02/21/2017
Zedler 02/21/2017

This is a real good time to contact representatives who aren't on the list yet. Maybe even a Democrat or two...?