WeVote
Log In

Bill

Bill

HB 5444

AN ACT RELATING TO MOTOR AND OTHER VEHICLES -- SPEED RESTRICTIONS

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Mike Chippendale and 7 co-sponsors

HB 5444 adds parole officers to the definition of peace officers, giving them the same powers, duties, training, and immunities as other peace officers under state law.

03/04/2025 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 5444

Summary — HB 5444: "An Act Including Parole Officers in the Definition of Peace Officers"

Main purpose

HB 5444 proposes to expand the statutory definition of “peace officers” to expressly include parole officers. The bill’s intent is to place parole officers within the same legal category as other peace officers under state law.

Key provisions (based on bill title and available record)

  • Adds parole officers to the statutory definition of “peace officers.”
  • By inclusion, parole officers would generally become subject to — and entitled to — the legal authorities, responsibilities, immunities, and requirements that apply to other peace officers under existing statutes.

Note: The text of the bill is not included in the materials provided. The precise statutory sections changed and the exact wording are not available in this summary. Specific legal effects will depend on which statutes reference “peace officer” and how those statutes operate in the state code.

Who would be affected

  • Primary: Parole officers employed by the state or designated agencies.
  • Secondary: State law enforcement agencies, courts, corrections departments, victims and people under community supervision, and employers/insurers (liability, training, equipment).
  • Potentially impacted statutory areas: arrest powers, use of force rules, arrest/custody procedures, qualifications and training requirements, disciplinary and certification procedures, immunity from civil suit, and retirement or benefits provisions tied to peace-officer status.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Authority and duties: Parole officers may gain clearer statutory authority (for example, to detain or arrest parolees) consistent with other peace officers.
  • Training and oversight: Inclusion may trigger mandatory training, certification, and supervision standards applicable to peace officers.
  • Liability and protections: Parole officers may receive the same immunities or civil-procedure defenses granted to peace officers; conversely, agencies may face different liability exposures.
  • Fiscal: Potential costs for additional training, equipment, certification processes, or changes in benefits/retirement classification — fiscal impacts should be addressed in any fiscal note.
  • Policy implications: Changes may affect community supervision practices, public-safety coordination, and civil-rights oversight; stakeholders (unions, victims’ advocates, civil liberties groups) may weigh in.

Procedural status & timeline

  • Filed: March 14, 2025
  • Initial referral to Joint Committee on Judiciary: January 17, 2025
  • Referred to Ways & Means: April 7, 2025
  • Committee activity: Public hearing (4/21/2025), reported favorably without amendment (4/24/2025), committee report filed/distributed (4/30–5/1/2025)
  • House calendar actions: Placed on General State Calendar (5/8/2025); considered/laid on table subject to call (5/9/2025)
  • Companion bill: SB 1502 (companion considered in lieu of on 5/9/2025)

What to watch next

  • Obtain and review the bill text to confirm exact statutory language and which statutes “peace officer” references will be affected.
  • Review the fiscal note for training, equipment, and benefits impacts.
  • Monitor debate, amendments, and companion SB 1502 for substantive differences.
  • Track stakeholder testimony (unions, corrections/parole agencies, civil-rights groups) for practical implications and implementation concerns.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

Sign in to ask a question.