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Minutes for HB2523 - Committee on Judiciary
Short Title
Amending qualifications for office of sheriff.
Minutes Content for Tue, Mar 13, 2018
The Chairman opened the hearing on HB2523 - Amending qualifications for office of sheriff. Jason Thompson provided an overview of the bill. (Attachment 12)
Greg Smith offered support for HB2523 and commented that the bill would hold a sheriff to the same standards as other law enforcement officers in relation to their background. (Attachment 13)
Sandy Horton supported HB2523 and indicated the bill would eliminate a life time disqualification placed on sheriffs based on misdemeanor convictions for alcohol, gambling and drug violations earlier in life. (Attachment 14)
Nick Reed gave support for HB2523 and told his personal story as an example of Mr. Horton's comments. In 1997, at the age of 18, Mr. Reed was charged with a minor in consumption of alcohol. He recognized he was in the wrong, and seven years later, he was hired by the same sheriff who had charged him. Mr. Reed continued in a law enforcement career and in 2014 was preparing to fill the roll of interim Sheriff when he found he would not be able to do so due to the charge against him in 1997. Mr. Reed currently does not have plans to run for sheriff, but as an undersheriff, passage of this bill would allow him to fill the role of interim sheriff should that become necessary. (Attachment 15)
Proponents answered questions from committee members.
Chairman Wilborn closed the hearing on HB2523.
