Texas House bill by Rep. Lujan defines authority of National Park Service law enforcement officers

Passed bill authored by State Rep. John Lujan aims to define the authority and powers of National Park Service law enforcement officers within Texas, specifying their arrest, search, and seizure capabilities in national parks and recreation areas, according to the Texas Legislature website.

In the House, 49 Democrats and 62 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while 10 Democrats and 23 Republicans opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 10 Democrats and 15 Republicans voted in favor, while one Democrat and five Republicans voted against it.

John Lujan introduced the bill in the Texas House on Wednesday, Jan. 15, during the 89th regular legislative session.

Lujan, a Republican, was elected to the Texas State House in 2021 to represent the state’s 118th House district, replacing previous state representative Leo Pacheco.

According to the Texas Legislature, the bill’s official text was summarized as follows: ‘Relating to the state law enforcement authority of federal National Park Service law enforcement officers’.

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill amends the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure to define the authority of National Park Service law enforcement officers within the state. It specifies that these federal officers are not classified as peace officers under Texas law but are granted powers of arrest, search, and seizure for offenses committed within national parks or recreation areas. They can also execute arrest and search warrants issued in Texas and are granted the same powers as peace officers under certain sections of the Health and Safety Code. The term “national park or national recreation area” is defined per 54 U.S.C. Section 100102. The bill takes effect immediately if it receives the requisite two-thirds vote in each house, otherwise, it will take effect Sept. 1, 2025.

The bill was co-authored by Rep. Ray Lopez (Democrat – District 125), Rep. Elizabeth Campos (Democrat – District 119), and Rep. Marc LaHood (Republican – District 121).

The bill received its final legislative approval on Friday, May 23, and was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday, June 20.

Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.