HOUSE BILL 236

53rd legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - second session, 2018

INTRODUCED BY

Alonzo Baldonado

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT; REQUIRING A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY THAT HIRES A RECENTLY CERTIFIED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER FROM ANOTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY IN THE STATE TO REIMBURSE CERTAIN EXPENSES FOR THE OFFICER'S TRAINING.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. A new section of Chapter 29 NMSA 1978 is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER INTERAGENCY HIRING--REIMBURSEMENT FOR TRAINING COSTS.--

          A. A law enforcement agency that makes an offer of employment to a recently certified officer when that officer is employed by another law enforcement agency in the state shall, upon hiring the officer, reimburse the officer's previous employer law enforcement agency for any expenses incurred by that agency for:

                (1) testing the officer prior to the officer's attendance at a law enforcement academy;

                (2) fees or tuition for the officer's attendance and training at a law enforcement academy;

                (3) required equipment and uniforms used by the officer while attending a law enforcement academy;

                (4) the officer's salary or wages earned while the officer attended a law enforcement academy or a required training program after the officer was certified;

                (5) fees or tuition for the officer's required training program after the officer was certified; and

                (6) required equipment and uniforms used by the officer while employed by the previous employer law enforcement agency.

          B. Of its total reimbursable expenses, a previous employer law enforcement agency shall be reimbursed:

                (1) seventy-five percent, if the recently certified officer was employed by the agency for up to one year following the officer's certification;

                (2) fifty percent, if the recently certified officer was employed by the agency for longer than one year and up to two years following the officer's certification; and

                (3) twenty-five percent, if the recently certified officer was employed by the agency for longer than two years and up to three years.

          C. For the purposes of this section:

                (1) "law enforcement agency" means a law enforcement agency of the state or a political subdivision of the state; and

                (2) "recently certified officer" means a law enforcement officer who has been:

                     (a) a certified law enforcement officer for three or fewer years; and

                     (b) employed by the same law enforcement agency since the officer was certified."

     SECTION 2. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2018.

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