1. (a) The commissioner may:

   1. (1) employ investigators as necessary to enforce this chapter; and
   2. (2) commission those investigators as peace officers.

2. (b) If the commissioner commissions investigators as peace officers, the commissioner shall appoint a chief investigator who:

   1. (1) is commissioned as a peace officer; and
   2. (2) is qualified by training and experience in law enforcement to supervise, direct, and administer the activities of the commissioned investigators.
3. (c) An investigator employed by the department as a peace officer must meet the requirements for a peace officer under Chapter 1701, Occupations Code.
4. (d) The commissioner shall ensure that a peace officer commissioned under Subsection (a) is compensated according to Schedule C of the position classification salary schedule prescribed by the General Appropriations Act.

Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1274, Sec. 2, eff. April 1, 2005.

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1143 (H.B. 2816), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2019.