Committee hears testimony on SB 14 to standardize confidential law‑enforcement department files; supporters cite model policy, opponents warn of reduced public‑

The Senate State Affairs Committee opened testimony on Senate Bill 14, a measure to establish a standardized departmental file for law‑enforcement records that are not part of an officer’s formal personnel file and to clarify which records remain confidential under state law.

Senator Paxton introduced the bill on behalf of the author and explained that Texas law enforcement agencies currently follow a patchwork of local policies when determining which non‑personnel documents are confidential. The bill would codify model policies developed through the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) sunset review process and require that certain investigatory summaries and internal reports be stored in a confidential departmental file rather than released in response to public information requests. The text, the sponsor said, preserves disclosure when misconduct has been substantiated and lists statutory exceptions (including the Michael Morton Act and the Sandra Bland Act).

Supporters: CLEAT (the Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas) Deputy Executive Director Jennifer Symansky testified in favor and described the TCOLE stakeholder process that produced a model policy. CLEAT and law enforcement supporters…