State Representative Ben Leman filed House Bill 1228, which will allow Austin County to keep a peace officer on the board of managers for the Austin County Emergency Communications District.
Current statute allows emergency communication districts in a county with a population of less than 30,000 to have a licensed peace officer who is appointed by the sheriff of the county in which the district is located, to sit on the board of managers for the district. This is in addition to the list of members that are already required to be a part of the board for districts bracketed to this population. HB 1228 would raise the population threshold from 30,000 to 40,000 to ensure a licensed peace officer can continue to serve on the board of managers for certain emergency communication districts that are located in counties with smaller populations.
“Emergency communication districts provide the needed input to improve emergency communication procedures and facilities in a manner that makes possible the quick response to any person calling 911. Having a licensed peace officer on the board enables these districts to receive input from the individuals who have first hand experience in responding to a 911 call,” said Representative Ben Leman. “This is especially important for districts that are in counties just like the ones that make up House District 13, where emergency response time may lengthened as a result of less dense populations.”
Representative Ben Leman is the State Representative of House District 13 in Texas which includes Austin, Burleson, Colorado, Fayette, Grimes, Lavaca, and Washington counties.
