Texas House Bill HB1177

Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

• Out of House Committee: 4/20/09
• Voted on by House: 4/29/09
• Out of Senate Committee: 5/18/09
• Voted on by Senate: 5/26/09
• Governor Action: 6/19/09
• Enrolled: 5/29/09
• Passed: 6/19/09

Caption

Relating to the eligibility of certain peace officers and firefighters for legislative leave.

Impact

The implications of HB1177 focus on the workforce of emergency responders and law enforcement personnel. By specifying eligibility based on population metrics of municipalities and counties, the bill acknowledges the varying sizes and needs of communities across Texas. It ensures that smaller municipalities and counties, which may not previously have had policies supporting legislative leave for their first responders, can now adopt similar measures. This could lead to enhanced civic engagement and representation of peace officers and firefighters in the legislative process.

Summary

House Bill 1177 pertains to the eligibility of certain peace officers and firefighters for legislative leave. The bill amends Section 614.002 of the Government Code, delineating the specific categories of peace officers and firefighters who are eligible for such leave. This includes individuals employed by the state, municipalities with populations of 50,000 or more, and counties with populations of 190,000 or more. The bill aims to clarify and potentially expand the eligibility parameters for legislative leave for these key public service roles.

Contention

Although the bill directly addresses the employment rights of peace officers and firefighters, it could also spark discussions around the overall treatment and recognition of public service roles within legislation. Stakeholders may debate if the criteria set forth by the bill adequately reflects the needs of smaller jurisdictions, ensuring fair representation without unfairly limiting opportunities based on a municipality's size. As a consequence of these provisions, there may be arguments about resource allocation and whether legislative leave should be universally granted or contingent upon population size.