Amend SB 1637 (house committee report) by adding the following appropriately numbered SECTIONS to the bill and renumbering subsequent SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:
SECTION ____. Chapter 612, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 612.006 to read as follows:
Sec. 612.006. LIABILITY INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR PEACE OFFICER MISCONDUCT. (a) In this section:
(1) "Law enforcement agency" means an agency of this state or an agency of a political subdivision of this state authorized by law to employ peace officers.
(2) "Peace officer" means an individual elected, appointed, or employed to serve as a peace officer for a governmental entity under Article 2A.001, Code of Criminal Procedure, or other law.
(b) This section applies only to a peace officer, other than a reserve peace officer, who:
(1) works as a peace officer for a law enforcement agency; and
(2) is entitled to benefits offered to a full-time peace officer by the employing agency, such as retirement benefits.
(c) A law enforcement agency may not employ a peace officer to whom this section applies unless the peace officer obtains and continuously maintains liability insurance to cover damages resulting from any misconduct, including intentional or negligent acts, the peace officer commits while acting in the scope of the peace officer's employment for the law enforcement agency.
(d) Liability insurance obtained and maintained for purposes of Subsection (c) must comply with the rules the commissioner of insurance adopts under Subsection (e).
(e) The commissioner of insurance shall adopt rules that:
(1) set a minimum liability insurance coverage amount for a policy allowing a reasonable number of victims to be compensated; and
(2) require a policy to state the policy is provided in accordance with and is subject to this section.
SECTION ____. Not later than January 1, 2026, the commissioner of insurance shall adopt rules to implement Section 612.006, Government Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION ____. Section 612.006(c), Government Code, as added by this Act, applies only to a peace officer employed on or after September 1, 2026.