A Texas Commission on Law Enforcement advisory committee voted Wednesday to approve minimum standards for agency training coordinators, adopt a new curriculum for an initial training‑coordinator course and recommend continuing education be required on a biannual cycle.

The committee, meeting by videoconference, approved an amendment to the draft rule 215.8 changing the continuing‑education requirement from annual to biannual and agreed to delay active enforcement of the training requirement so the first enforced compliance cycle aligns with the training unit period beginning Sept. 1, 2027. The motions to approve the rule amendment and to adopt the curriculum passed by voice vote.

Why it matters: The committee’s actions establish a required baseline of knowledge and a timeline for people appointed as training coordinators at agencies regulated by the commission. The measures set a six‑month deadline for newly appointed coordinators to complete the initial course once the course is available and specify ongoing continuing education tied to the commission’s training‑unit cycle, which begins Sept. 1 of odd‑numbered years.

Committee members said the change from annual to biannual continuing education better matches legislative update cycles and reduces the frequency of mandatory retraining. Members also discussed practical timing problems: the rulemaking and course development process means the course material and online or conference offerings may not be available immediately when the rule becomes effective. To avoid enforcement problems, the committee decided to recommend that enforcement begin in alignment with the Sept. 1, 2027 training cycle even though the proposed rule’s posted effective date remained November 1 in the draft paperwork.

Committee discussion and direction focused on three operational issues: how quickly TCOLE (Texas Commission on Law Enforcement) staff could assemble existing curriculum material into a single initial‑training package; whether the initial course could be offered at the annual TCOLE training conference; and how to communicate enforcement timing so training coordinators would not be held accountable before training is available. Committee members noted much of the material already exists in current background investigation and rules courses and said course development should be feasible but will take additional staff time to package and publish.

The committee also agreed as part of the curriculum motion that the initial course should be required to be completed within six months of appointment once the course is available. Members asked staff to use the commission’s notice channels (technical assistance bulletins, website guidance and conference announcements) to recommend voluntary early completion and to notify training coordinators and providers about the enforcement timeline.

Votes at a glance:
• Motion to approve minutes from Feb. 10 meeting — outcome: approved (voice vote; mover/second not specified in transcript).
• Motion to approve rule 215.8 as amended (change continuing education to biannual; clarify enforcement timing) — outcome: approved (voice vote; mover/second not specified in transcript).
• Motion to adopt the curriculum for the initial training‑coordinator course and continuing education recommendations — outcome: approved (voice vote; mover/second not specified in transcript).

What the committee decided not to change: the requirement in existing rule text that either the training coordinator or a designee must attend certain events (the committee noted that provision is already in rule and not subject to this motion). Committee members asked TCOLE staff to pursue administrative steps to allow a recommended — not mandatory — early rollout (for example, recommending completion by the current training cycle and publicizing that recommendation at the conference) and to provide clearer compliance pages for training‑coordinator duties on TCOLE’s site.

Next steps and implementation details: Committee members will present the recommended rule and curriculum at the commission meeting in June for the formal rulemaking process. Staff outlined the statutory notice and comment timeline for rules posted to the Texas Register (a 30‑day public comment period and commission consideration at a subsequent meeting), and warned that an official posted effective date (the draft showed Nov. 1, 2025) can leave little practical time to develop a course before a training cycle begins; the committee therefore recommended the enforcement start be aligned with Sept. 1, 2027. Staff will publish guidance and technical assistance and aim to offer the course at a future conference once rulemaking and course development are complete.

Meeting context: the advisory committee worked through subcommittee recommendations on training‑coordinator topics and spent the bulk of its time on the minimum‑standards rule, course timing and how to communicate the rollout to affected providers and coordinators. Several members emphasized the need for clear communication so training coordinators know when they will be expected to comply.

The committee’s actions are recommendations to the full Texas Commission on Law Enforcement; the commission must follow formal notice and adoption steps to make rule changes enforceable.