QBfficeof tip $?Wmep Qheral %btate of Gkcas DAN MORALES *l-TORSEY GENERAL March 26.1993
Mr. Fred Toler Opiion No. Dhi-210 ExewtiveDirector Texas Commissionon Law Enforcement Re: Constructionof section 415.058 of the OfEcer Standards and Education Govemment Code, addressing the efkct of 1033 La Posada, Suite 240 a felony conviction on the liccnsure of a Au& Texas 78752 law enf- 05cer (RQ-207)
Dear Mr. Tokr:
On behalf of the Commission on Law Enforcement OfIicer Standards and Education (the commission), you have asked us to construe se&ion 415.058 of the Govemment Code. Section 415.058 provides as follows: (a) Apersonwhohasbeenconvictedofakhmyisdisqualified to be an officer or county jaila. Tbe commission may not license- such a person and shall on convictionof a felony immediatelyrevoke the liwnse of a person previouslylicensed.
(b)ForthepvporesofthisrectiorSa~iswmrictedofa felony if a court of competent jurisdiction enters an adjudication of guiltrgainsttheparononafelonyoffarreundathe~ofthisor another state or the united states, regardless of whether: (1)theaentenceisaubsequentlyprobatedandthepersonis dischargedffomprobation; (2) the awusatim complaint,informatiot4or indictment against thepersonisdismissedandtbepersonisrekasedfromaUpenakies anddisabiiesreslhgfiomtheoffbnse;or (3) the person is pardoned for the offense, unless the pardon is granted expredy for subsequent proof of immcewe. You state that the commission has interpreted section 415.058 to require it to rev&e an officd or county jailer's license when the licensee has been convicted of a felony, 0~ to deny a license to an appkant who has been convicted of a felony. You list threc(ilummminwhichthe wmmission believes section 415.058 requires it to revoke or deny a license:
p. 1105 Mr. Frad Toler - Page 2 (DM-210)
(1)whentheindividuaiisconvicteduperthejudgme-ntand then reksed 6om probation and a new trial granted and the judgment of wnviction is set aside;
(2) when the individual is wnvictad as par the judgment and thearelesKd~mprobation~thecourtrllowsthcpaonto withdraw his or her plea of guilty, the indictment against the dckdant is dim&d and the judgment of wnviction is set aside; or
(3) whattheindividuaTrwnvictionisdisn&mdandhaorshais lekased~aupenalties. You 6rst ask whether the wmmission correctly has interpreted saction 415.058 to apply in these three chmmmes You also ask whether saction 415.058 requires the commission tomrokeordcnyalicaueifthewnviaedpaswispurPuingadireaappulthroughthe wurts. If~,yyouarkwhethathew~on~yticmseorreli~thepasontosave as an officer or county jailer ifthe appeal is succamfid.
The kgishre wdi6ed section 415.058 of the Gowmment code in 1987. see Acts 1987, 70th Leg.. ch. 147, 5 1. at 391. The legi&mre amanded the predecessor statute to section 415.058. V.T.C.S. article 4413(29aa), 5 SA, in 1983. See Ants 1983. 68th Leg.. CAL479. 0 3, at 2809-10. Prior to its 1983 amendment, section 8A of article 4413(29aa), V.T.C.S., provided as follows: (a)No~whoharbeenwnvictedofafelo~undathe lrwsofthis~~raothartlte,ortheUaitedS~~mrybeliceared bythe~~~uqudifiedtokrperceo5ar.jailaorgurrd atawuntyjaU,orraave law eaforwment 05cer. (b) Fii wnviction of a felony under the laws of this ata& anothartrte,ortbeUnitadStatas~asaperaonpraviotndy U~bythe~ontobeaperceofhca.j~uorgurrdUa camtyja&orreserve law enforcementofficer, and the Commission shall immedhteiy revoke the license of a person so wnvictad. (c) Subsaction (a) of this saction doas not apply to a parson if the person has been placed on probation pursuant to the defared adjudination provision of Subsaction (a), Section 34 Code of criminal procedure. 1965. JII 1983 the kgishre deleted the mpbmeat in subsection(b) thal the conviction be %d," ad amended subsection (c) to raad SubstanMy as section 415.058(b) of the &vemmeint