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The
Oakley Report
By Keith Oakley, ASSIST Lobbyist
As we have for the past several years, all of the state
associations that represent the security profession in
Texas met recently with DPS and PSB officials to discuss
our respective plans for the upcoming legislative session.
In the past, each group would lay out their legislative
agenda, and if we were all in agreement with the proposals,
we would place each of the measures in a single bill.
We would work with our regulators to make certain that
the language in the bill would enhance their enforcement
efforts.
Things appear to be different
this year. The associations are
each planning to meet again to
discuss legislation, but probably
without participation from
DPS. The associations may still
agree to join together to support
an omnibus bill with all of
our proposals wrapped in it,
but that is yet to be decided.
ASSIST President Bob Burt and Legislative Director
Walt Roberts told DPS officials that one of our top priorities
for the legislative session will be to continue to fight
additional exemptions to the Private Security Act that we
feel are without merit.
One of these includes the legislation we successfully
fought last session to exempt jailers from the act. There
are far more jailers in our major cities than there are law
enforcement officers, and most law enforcement officers
also oppose the bill. This effort led by the Bexar County
Jailers Association could place tens of thousands of jailers
on the streets in private security jobs without proper
training, insurance and without collecting sales tax. It
would place the liability burden of their actions squarely
on the backs of taxpayers.
We will also continue to oppose the legislation to
exempt computer forensic examiners from the act. The
bill would allow anyone to conduct investigations of your
computer without having passed a criminal background
check, maintaining insurance, receiving training and without
registration with PSB. Under the bill as introduced last
session, someone could be a registered sex offender and
a computer forensic investigator.
We are also continuing our meetings with Ken
Nicholas from the governor�s office to work
through the details of ASSIST�s role in the state�s
emergency response plans. We will be presenting
our final proposal prior to the start of the legislative
session. If you would like to participate
and are able to provide security officers in the
case of a state declared emergency, please contact
Bob or Walt.
This session of the legislature is shaping up to be very
difficult for state agencies and legislators. The state is
facing a shortfall that could top $18 billion. DPS and other
agencies have been asked to cut their already-strained
budgets another 5 to 10 percent.
In addition to dealing with the budget crisis, this is also
a re-districting year. The legislature will be forced to
redraw the district boundaries for each house member
and senator. Those fights can become very personal. If
your hometown gets taken out of your legislative district,
you can move or quit.
Our legislative �Walk the Halls� day has been set for
March 15 in Austin. We are asking that ASSIST members
contact their state representative and their state senator
to schedule a meeting with them or their staff for that day.
We will provide each member with a handout that
explains our legislative priorities and an invitation for them
to join us at our reception that evening. We will meet in
the Capitol Cafeteria, located in the Capitol Extension, at
9:30 a.m. for breakfast and talks from legislators. We will
then proceed to our meetings with our individual legislators,
lunch on your own, then we will go to our reception
at 5 p.m. at Serrano�s, located at 1111 Red River.
We need your participation this session more than
ever. If each legislator tells me, �I have a friend back home
in the private security business,� I know that we will continue
to be successful in improving the regulatory environment
for private security professionals in our state.
You are always welcome to contact me at: [email protected], to find out more about our legislative efforts.
Keith Oakley, ASSIST Lobbyist
[email protected]
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