83R9693 CJC-F
By: Alonzo H.B. No. 2971
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the regulation of firefighters and fire departments by
the Texas Commission on Fire Protection.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 419.021(3), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(3) "Fire protection personnel" means:
(A) permanent, full-time law enforcement
officers designated as fire and arson investigators by an
appropriate local authority;
(B) aircraft rescue and fire protection
personnel; [or]
(C) permanent, full-time fire department
employees who are not secretaries, stenographers, clerks, budget
analysts, or similar support staff persons or other administrative
employees and who are assigned duties in one or more of the
following categories:
(i) fire suppression;
(ii) fire inspection;
(iii) fire and arson investigation;
(iv) marine fire fighting;
(v) aircraft rescue and fire fighting;
(vi) fire training;
(vii) fire education;
(viii) fire administration; and
(ix) any other position necessarily or
customarily related to fire prevention or suppression; or
(D) permanent, full-time fire department or
local government employees who are not secretaries, stenographers,
clerks, budget analysts, or similar support staff persons or other
administrative employees and who are designated as wildland fire
fighters.
SECTION 2. Section 419.909, Government Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
(d) The commission shall adopt and implement rules relating
to the application of this section to a fire department.
SECTION 3. The Texas Commission on Fire Protection shall
adopt the rules required under Section 419.909, Government Code, as
amended by this Act, not later than January 1, 2014.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2013.