HB 2322-S2.E - DIGEST

(AS OF HOUSE 2ND READING 2/14/04)

Authorizes the commission to require that each applicant that has been offered a conditional offer of employment as a full-time or part-time commissioned peace officer or a reserve officer that has had a break of more than twenty-four consecutive months in the officer's service as a full-time law enforcement officer to take and successfully pass a psychological examination and a polygraph test or similar assessment procedure as administered by county, city, or state law enforcement agencies as a condition of employment as a peace officer.

Provides that the employing county, city, or state law enforcement agency may require that each applicant who is required to take a psychological examination and a polygraph or similar test pay a portion of the testing fee based on the actual cost of the test or four hundred dollars, whichever is less. County, city, and state law enforcement agencies may establish a payment plan if they determine that the peace officer does not readily have the means to pay for his or her portion of the testing fee.

Provides that the officer shall successfully pass a psychological examination and a polygraph or similar test as administered by a county, city, or state law enforcement agency if the officer is an applicant that has been offered a conditional offer of employment as a full-time or part-time commissioned peace officer or a reserve officer that has had a break of more than twenty-four consecutive months in the officer's service as a full-time law enforcement officer.

Provides that the commission shall deny certification of any applicant that has been offered a conditional offer of employment as a full-time or part-time commissioned peace officer or a reserve officer that has had a break of more than twenty-four consecutive months in the officer's service as a full-time law enforcement officer, if that applicant failed to successfully pass the psychological examination, the polygraph test or similar assessment procedure, or both, as administered by county, city, or state law enforcement agencies.

Provides that, before a person may be appointed or hired to act as a peace officer, the person shall meet the minimum standards for employment with the hiring local law enforcement agency, including: (1) Successful completion of a psychological examination and polygraph examination administered by the criminal justice training commission; and

(2) Obtaining a certificate of basic law enforcement training or a certificate of basic law enforcement training equivalency.