83R8703 TJS-F
By: Geren H.B. No. 2253
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to compensation and benefits for commissioned peace
officers employed by the attorney general.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 402.009, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 402.009. AUTHORITY TO EMPLOY AND COMMISSION PEACE
OFFICERS. (a) The attorney general may employ and commission peace
officers as investigators for the limited purpose of assisting the
attorney general in carrying out the duties of that office relating
to prosecution assistance and crime prevention.
(b) The attorney general shall ensure that an investigator
employed as authorized under Subsection (a) is compensated
according to Schedule C of the position classification salary
schedule prescribed by the General Appropriations Act.
SECTION 2. Section 659.301(5), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(5) "State employee" means an individual who:
(A) is a commissioned law enforcement officer of
the Department of Public Safety, the Texas Facilities Commission,
the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, [or] the Texas Department
of Criminal Justice, or the attorney general;
(B) is a commissioned security officer of the
comptroller;
(C) is a law enforcement officer commissioned by
the Parks and Wildlife Commission;
(D) is a commissioned peace officer of an
institution of higher education;
(E) is an employee or official of the Board of
Pardons and Paroles or the parole division of the Texas Department
of Criminal Justice if the employee or official has routine direct
contact with inmates of any penal or correctional institution or
with administratively released prisoners subject to the board's
jurisdiction;
(F) has been certified to the Employees
Retirement System of Texas under Section 815.505 as having begun
employment as a law enforcement officer or custodial officer,
unless the individual has been certified to the system as having
ceased employment as a law enforcement officer or custodial
officer; or
(G) before May 29, 1987, received hazardous duty
pay based on the terms of any state law if the individual holds a
position designated under that law as eligible for the pay.
SECTION 3. Section 811.001(9), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(9) "Law enforcement officer" means a member of the
retirement system who:
(A) has been commissioned as a law enforcement
officer by the Department of Public Safety, the Texas Alcoholic
Beverage Commission, the Parks and Wildlife Department, [or] the
office of inspector general at the Texas Youth Commission, or the
attorney general; and
(B) is recognized as a commissioned law
enforcement officer by the Commission on Law Enforcement Officer
Standards and Education.
SECTION 4. Section 814.104(b), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(b) A member who is at least 55 years old and who has at
least 10 years of service credit as a commissioned peace officer
engaged in criminal law enforcement activities of the Department of
Public Safety, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, the Parks
and Wildlife Department, [or] the office of inspector general at
the Texas Youth Commission, or the attorney general, or as a
custodial officer, is eligible to retire and receive a service
retirement annuity.
SECTION 5. Section 814.1075(b), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(b) A member who has at least 20 years of service credit as a
law enforcement or custodial officer, including any law enforcement
officer as defined by Section 811.001(9), is eligible to retire
regardless of age and receive a standard service retirement annuity
as provided by this section.
SECTION 6. Section 815.505, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 815.505. CERTIFICATION OF NAMES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND
CUSTODIAL OFFICERS. Not later than the 12th day of the month
following the month in which a person begins or ceases employment as
a law enforcement officer or custodial officer, the Public Safety
Commission, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, the Parks and
Wildlife Commission, the office of inspector general at the Texas
Youth Commission, the Board of Pardons and Paroles, the attorney
general, or the Texas Board of Criminal Justice, as applicable,
shall certify to the retirement system, in the manner prescribed by
the system, the name of the employee and such other information as
the system determines is necessary for the crediting of service and
financing of benefits under this subtitle.
SECTION 7. (a) The attorney general shall begin making
deductions and collecting the contributions for the law enforcement
and custodial officer supplemental retirement fund as provided by
Section 815.402(h), Government Code, beginning with the first pay
period that occurs after December 31, 2013.
(b) The board of trustees of the Employees Retirement System
of Texas shall adopt rules as soon as possible after the effective
date of this Act to implement Section 814.1075, Government Code, as
amended by this Act.
SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.