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  89R15165 MZM-D     By: Schatzline H.B. No. 5542       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the eligibility of a person to serve as sheriff.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 85.0011(b), Local Government Code, is   amended to read as follows:          (b)  A person is not eligible to serve as sheriff unless the   person:                (1)  has a high school diploma or a high school   equivalency certificate; [ and ]                (2)  [ either:                      [ (A) ]  holds an active permanent peace officer   license under Chapter 1701, Occupations Code; [ or                      [ (B)     is eligible to be licensed under Sections   1701.309 and 1701.312, Occupations Code, ] and                 (3)   [ :                            [ (i) ]  has a minimum of five years of   experience as a peace officer [ federal special investigator; or                            [ (ii)     is a military veteran with a minimum   of 10 years of combined active duty or national guard service   experience ].          SECTION 2.  Section 1701.302(a), Occupations Code, is   amended to read as follows:          (a)  Except as provided by Section 85.0011, Local Government   Code, an officer[ , including a sheriff, ] elected under the Texas   Constitution or a statute or appointed to fill a vacancy in an   elective office must obtain a license from the commission not later   than the second anniversary of the date the officer takes office.          SECTION 3.  Sections 85.0011(a) and (c), Local Government   Code, are repealed.          SECTION 4.  The changes in law made by this Act do not apply   to a sheriff serving a term that began before the effective date of   this Act.  A sheriff serving a term that began before the effective   date of this Act is governed for the remainder of that term by the   law as it existed immediately before the effective date of this Act,   and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.          SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.