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SB2570 • 2025

Relating to a legal justification for the use of force with a less-lethal force weapon by a correctional facility guard or a peace officer.

Relating to a legal justification for the use of force with a less-lethal force weapon by a correctional facility guard or a peace officer.

Firearms
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Flores
Last action
2025-06-20
Official status
06/20/2025 E Effective immediately
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Relating to a legal justification for the use of force with a less-lethal force weapon by a correctional facility guard or a peace officer.

Relating to a legal justification for the use of force with a less-lethal force weapon by a correctional facility guard or a peace officer.

What This Bill Does

  • Relating to a legal justification for the use of force with a less-lethal force weapon by a correctional facility guard or a peace officer.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2025-06-20 Texas Legislature Online

    Signed by the Governor

  2. 2025-06-20 Texas Legislature Online

    Effective immediately

  3. 2025-05-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Signed in the House

  4. 2025-05-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Sent to the Governor

  5. 2025-05-27 Texas Legislature Online

    Signed in the Senate

  6. 2025-05-26 Texas Legislature Online

    House amendment(s) laid before the Senate

  7. 2025-05-26 Texas Legislature Online

    Read

  8. 2025-05-26 Texas Legislature Online

    Senate concurs in House amendment(s)

  9. 2025-05-26 Texas Legislature Online

    Record vote

  10. 2025-05-26 Texas Legislature Online

    Senate concurs in House amendment(s)-reported

  11. 2025-05-26 Texas Legislature Online

    Reported enrolled

  12. 2025-05-23 Texas Legislature Online

    House passage as amended reported

  13. 2025-05-22 Texas Legislature Online

    Read 3rd time

  14. 2025-05-22 Texas Legislature Online

    Passed

  15. 2025-05-22 Texas Legislature Online

    Record vote. RV#3210

  16. 2025-05-22 Texas Legislature Online

    Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal

  17. 2025-05-21 Texas Legislature Online

    Placed on General State Calendar

  18. 2025-05-21 Texas Legislature Online

    Read 2nd time

  19. 2025-05-21 Texas Legislature Online

    Point of order withdrawn. Rule 4, Section 32(c)(1)

  20. 2025-05-21 Texas Legislature Online

    Postponed. 5/21/25 5:30 PM

  21. 2025-05-21 Texas Legislature Online

    Laid out as postponed business

  22. 2025-05-21 Texas Legislature Online

    Amended. 1-Moody

  23. 2025-05-21 Texas Legislature Online

    Amendment tabled. 2-Reynolds

  24. 2025-05-21 Texas Legislature Online

    Record vote. RV#3185

  25. 2025-05-21 Texas Legislature Online

    Amendment tabled. 3-Wu

  26. 2025-05-21 Texas Legislature Online

    Record vote. RV#3186

  27. 2025-05-21 Texas Legislature Online

    Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal

  28. 2025-05-21 Texas Legislature Online

    Passed to 3rd reading as amended

  29. 2025-05-21 Texas Legislature Online

    Record vote. RV#3187

  30. 2025-05-21 Texas Legislature Online

    Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal

  31. 2025-05-19 Texas Legislature Online

    Considered in Calendars

  32. 2025-05-12 Texas Legislature Online

    Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator

  33. 2025-05-12 Texas Legislature Online

    Committee report distributed

  34. 2025-05-12 Texas Legislature Online

    Committee report sent to Calendars

  35. 2025-05-07 Texas Legislature Online

    Considered in public hearing

  36. 2025-05-07 Texas Legislature Online

    Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)

  37. 2025-04-30 Texas Legislature Online

    Read first time

  38. 2025-04-30 Texas Legislature Online

    Referred to Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs

  39. 2025-04-29 Texas Legislature Online

    Received from the Senate

  40. 2025-04-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Co-author authorized

  41. 2025-04-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Rules suspended-Regular order of business

  42. 2025-04-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Record vote

  43. 2025-04-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment

  44. 2025-04-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Record vote

  45. 2025-04-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Three day rule suspended

  46. 2025-04-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Record vote

  47. 2025-04-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Read 3rd time

  48. 2025-04-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Passed

  49. 2025-04-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Record vote

  50. 2025-04-28 Texas Legislature Online

    Reported engrossed

  51. 2025-04-23 Texas Legislature Online

    Placed on intent calendar

  52. 2025-04-16 Texas Legislature Online

    Reported favorably as substituted

  53. 2025-04-16 Texas Legislature Online

    Committee report printed and distributed

  54. 2025-04-15 Texas Legislature Online

    Considered in public hearing

  55. 2025-04-15 Texas Legislature Online

    Testimony taken in committee

  56. 2025-04-15 Texas Legislature Online

    Vote taken in committee

  57. 2025-04-08 Texas Legislature Online

    Scheduled for public hearing on . . .

  58. 2025-04-08 Texas Legislature Online

    Considered in public hearing

  59. 2025-04-08 Texas Legislature Online

    Testimony taken in committee

  60. 2025-04-08 Texas Legislature Online

    Left pending in committee

  61. 2025-04-03 Texas Legislature Online

    Read first time

  62. 2025-04-03 Texas Legislature Online

    Referred to Criminal Justice

  63. 2025-03-13 Texas Legislature Online

    Received by the Secretary of the Senate

  64. 2025-03-13 Texas Legislature Online

    Filed

Official Summary Text

Relating to a legal justification for the use of force with a less-lethal force weapon by a correctional facility guard or a peace officer.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
89(R) SB 2570 - Enrolled version - Bill Text

S.B. No. 2570

AN ACT

relating to a legal justification for the use of force with a

less-lethal force weapon by a correctional facility guard or a

peace officer.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 9, Penal Code, is amended

by adding Section 9.55 to read as follows:

Sec.

9.55.

USE OF LESS-LETHAL FORCE WEAPON.

(a)

In this

section, "less-lethal force weapon" means:

(1)

any weapon, device, or munition that is designed,

made, or adapted to expel a projectile or multiple projectiles

against a target to temporarily incapacitate the target while

minimizing the risk of serious bodily injury or death;

(2) a chemical dispensing device;

(3) a device used to strike a person; or

(4) a stun gun, as defined by Section 38.14.

(b)

This section applies only to a guard employed by a

correctional facility or a peace officer who is engaged in the

discharge of the guard's or officer's official duties.

(c)

A person to whom this section applies is justified in

using force with a less-lethal force weapon against another when

and to the degree the person reasonably believes the force was

necessary to accomplish the person's official duties as a guard or

officer and if the person's use of the weapon is in substantial

compliance with the person's training.

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only

to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.

An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is

governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed,

and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For

purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the

effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred

before that date.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

______________________________

______________________________

President of the Senate

Speaker of the House

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 2570 passed the Senate on

April 28, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 20, Nays 11; and that

the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 26, 2025, by the

following vote: Yeas 21, Nays 10.

______________________________

Secretary of the Senate

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 2570 passed the House, with

amendment, on May 22, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 101,

Nays 35, two present not voting.

______________________________

Chief Clerk of the House

Approved:

______________________________

Date

______________________________

Governor