Texas House Bill HB560

Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Caption

Relating to injury leave for peace officers injured by an intoxicated driver of a motor vehicle or boat.

Impact

This legislation introduces a new subchapter to Chapter 614 of the Government Code, which governs the benefits and rights afforded to peace officers. The bill establishes a clear framework for compensating officers who are injured as a result of criminal acts involving intoxicated drivers, thereby ensuring that they do not face financial penalties during recovery. Moreover, it allows officers to receive workers' compensation benefits concurrently with the injury leave, although they are not eligible for disability retirement benefits during the leave period.

Summary

House Bill 560 aims to provide specific provisions regarding injury leave for peace officers who sustain injuries due to incidents involving intoxicated operators of vehicles or boats. The bill outlines that a peace officer is entitled to injury leave without a deduction in salary when injured by a driver under the influence while performing their official duties. It specifies that such incidents must occur during the officer's performance of duty and excludes the time spent in transportation to and from their designated headquarters.

Contention

There may be points of contention surrounding the specifics of the injury leave provisions, especially relating to the criteria for eligibility and the duration of benefits. Critics could argue that the bill might place an additional fiscal burden on state resources or that it may inadvertently incentivize officers to claim injury leaves. Furthermore, there may be discussions on how this bill could interact with existing workers' compensation laws, which are already complex and varied across different jurisdictions.