Police Misconduct Lawyer Austin – H.B. 245 adds Teeth to H.B. 1036, Regarding Reporting of Police Shootings
During the last state legislative session, H.B. 1036 passed, which says police departments must provide shooting data to the Texas attorney general within 30 days of a shooting incident. H.B. 245 improves on that bill, since it includes an enforcement mechanism. Police departments that fail to make such a report will face a fine of $1,000 per day, if they haven’t complied within seven days of being notified. If twice within five years a law-enforcement agency fails to report a police shooting within the required time frame, the department incurs a penalty of $10,000 plus $1,000 daily until the data is reported.
Democrat state Rep. Eric Johnson introduced both of the bills. According to reports, getting these kinds of bills is difficult in Texas, particularly for Democrats. Johnson reportedly worked very hard to get these bills to a vote. He says they give Texas an opportunity to take a national lead in accountability and transparency in policing.
Referring to the senseless shooting of unarmed teen Jordan Edwards on April 29, 2017, allegedly at the hands of a police officer in Balch Springs, Johnson said it’s essential to get to the root of the issue and why these kinds of events continue happening. He points out that it’s difficult to have a discussion about what exactly may be happening without the necessary data.
Johnson stated his belief that a starting point for bringing together the people who support Black Lives Matter and those who strongly believe All Lives Matter begins by proving and then acknowledging there’s a race problem within law enforcement agencies.
H.B. 245 passed in the Texas House on May 12, 2017, and it heads to the Texas Senate next. Johnson has a strategy and is continuing to work to see the bill become law.
–Guest Contributor
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