(a) In this section:
(1) "Active duty" means current full-time military service in the armed forces of the United States.
(2) "Armed forces of the United States" means the army, navy, air force, space force, coast guard, or marine corps of the United States or a reserve unit of one of those branches of the armed forces.
(3) "Federal special investigator" means a person described by Article 2A.002, Code of Criminal Procedure.
(4) "Military veteran" means a person who has served on active duty and who was discharged or released from active duty.
(b) A person is not eligible to serve as sheriff unless the person:
(1) has a high school diploma or a high school equivalency certificate; and
(2) either:
(A) holds an active permanent peace officer license under Chapter 1701, Occupations Code; or
(B) is eligible to be licensed under Sections 1701.309 and 1701.312, Occupations Code, and:
(i) has a minimum of five years of experience as a federal special investigator; or
(ii) is a military veteran with a minimum of 10 years of combined active duty or national guard service experience.
(c) A person is not eligible to be a candidate for the office of sheriff unless the person holds an active permanent peace officer license under Chapter 1701, Occupations Code, or is a person described by Subsection (b)(2)(B)(i) or (ii) and obtains a license within the time provided by Section 1701.302(a), Occupations Code.