Sec. 222.001. MINIMUM STANDARDS FOR PROBATION OFFICERS. (a) To be eligible for appointment as a probation officer, a person who was not employed as a probation officer before September 1, 1981, must:

(1) be of good moral character;

(2) have acquired a bachelor's degree conferred by a college or university accredited by an accrediting organization recognized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board;

(3) have either:

(A) one year of graduate study in criminology, corrections, counseling, law, social work, psychology, sociology, or other field of instruction approved by the department; or

(B) one year of experience in full-time case work, counseling, or community or group work:

(i) in a social service, community, corrections, or juvenile agency that deals with offenders or disadvantaged persons; and

(ii) that the department determines provides the kind of experience necessary to meet this requirement;

(4) have satisfactorily completed the course of preservice training or instruction and any continuing education required by the department;

(5) have passed the tests or examinations required by the department; and

(6) possess the level of certification required by the department.

(b) The board by rule may authorize the waiver of the requirement of a year of graduate study or full-time employment experience if the authority responsible for employing the officer establishes to the satisfaction of the department that, after a diligent search, the authority cannot locate a person meeting that requirement to fill a job opening.

(c) The board by rule may authorize the temporary employment of a person who has not completed a course of preservice training, passed the examination, or attained the required level of certification, contingent on the person meeting those requirements within the time specified by the board.

(d) A person must possess the level of training, experience, and certification required by the department to be eligible for employment in a probation office in a position supervising other probation officers. The department may require several levels of certification to reflect increasing levels of responsibility. A department rule relating to levels of certification does not affect the continued employment of a probation officer in a supervisory position if the person holds that position on the date on which the rule takes effect.

(e) The department may waive any certification requirement, except a fee requirement, for an applicant who has a valid certification from another state that has certification requirements that are substantially equivalent to the requirements in this state.

(f) The department may waive the degree accreditation requirement in Subsection (a)(2) if the applicant possesses a foreign or other degree that the department determines is the substantial equivalent of a bachelor's degree. The board shall adopt rules defining the procedures to be used to request a waiver of the accreditation requirement in Subsection (a)(2).

Redesignated and amended from Human Resources Code, Subchapter D, Chapter 141 by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 85 (S.B. 653), Sec. 1.004, eff. September 1, 2011.