Text of article effective on January 01, 2025
Art. 2A.008.  SCHOOL MARSHALS.  (a)  In this article, "private school" means a school that:
(1)  offers a course of instruction for students in one or more grades from prekindergarten through grade 12;
(2)  is not operated by a governmental entity; and
(3)  is not a school whose students are home-schooled students as defined by Section 29.916, Education Code.
(b)  A person may not serve as a school marshal unless the person is:
(1)  licensed under Section 1701.260, Occupations Code; and
(2)  appointed by:
(A)  the board of trustees of a school district or the governing body of an open-enrollment charter school under Section 37.0811, Education Code;
(B)  the governing body of a private school under Section 37.0813, Education Code; or
(C)  the governing board of a public junior college under Section 51.220, Education Code.
(c)  Except as provided by Subsection (d), a school marshal may:
(1)  make arrests and exercise all authority given peace officers under this code, subject to written regulations adopted by, as applicable:
(A)  the board of trustees of a school district or the governing body of an open-enrollment charter school under Section 37.0811, Education Code;
(B)  the governing body of a private school under Section 37.0813, Education Code; or
(C)  the governing board of a public junior college under Section 51.220, Education Code; and
(2)  act only as necessary to prevent or abate the commission of an offense that threatens serious bodily injury to or the death of a student, faculty member, or visitor on school premises.
(d)  A school marshal may not issue a traffic citation for a violation of Chapter 521, Transportation Code, or Subtitle C, Title 7, Transportation Code.
(e)  A school marshal is not entitled to state benefits normally provided by the state to a peace officer.
Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 765 (H.B. 4504), Sec. 1.001, eff. January 1, 2025.