Bill would set common rules for forest rangers in Spain

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The bill would establish a common basic legal framework for all forest and environmental ranger corps in Spain, without changing their attachment to each administration. It would also set "Agente Forestal y Medioambiental" as the generic name, though each territory may keep names such as Guardas or Agentes Rurales.
2. Rangers would be civil servants, authority agents and special administrative police, and would act as judicial police assisting judges and the Public Prosecutor. Their basic duties would be environmental policing, technical support for managing the natural environment, and help in emergencies such as forest fires or searches for missing people.
3. The text lists powers such as asking people to identify themselves, entering places subject to inspection while respecting the inviolability of the home, taking samples and carrying out checks, always respecting proportionality. Their reports and citations would carry a presumption of truth, after confirmation if challenged.
4. Rangers would work in coordination with the Security Forces, without subordination, and would carry personal defense equipment when they see a risk to their life or physical integrity. They would also use official priority vehicles, and a State Commission for Cooperation would be created within the Ministry of the Interior.
5. Entry into these corps would be through competitive examinations, with a selection course, a training period and physical fitness tests. The administration would guarantee their legal defense, and specific occupational health and safety plans would be developed.
6. The Forestry Law and the Criminal Procedure Law would be amended, and the government would adapt the Weapons Regulation so that the ranger's professional card could serve as a class A weapons license. The law would take effect three months after publication, except budget-related measures, which would wait until 2020.

Who it affects

• Forest and environmental rangers across Spain: They would get a common basic legal framework, with powers, defense equipment and job safety protections set by law.
• Spain's Autonomous Communities and local entities: They would have to adapt their rules on these corps within one year, while keeping control of their own corps.
• The Security Forces: They would cooperate reciprocally and in a coordinated way with forest rangers within their respective powers.
• Anyone using the natural environment or committing environmental offenses: They could be identified, inspected or cited by forest rangers in the course of their duties.

Words worth knowing

Agente de la autoridad (authority agent)

A public official whose orders and reports have full legal force against citizens.

Policía judicial (judicial police)

The role of helping judges, courts and prosecutors investigate crimes.

Presunción de certeza (presumption of truth)

What appears in the ranger's report is considered true, unless proven otherwise after it is confirmed.

Vehículo prioritario (priority vehicle)

An official vehicle with lights and markings that may have priority in traffic.

Ley básica (basic law)

A state law setting minimum common rules for the whole country, while each Autonomous Community may later add its own rules.

It summarizes the text as it was introduced. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries