H.B. No. 2037
AN ACT
relating to compensation and leave for certain peace officers.
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 a commissioned
peace officer 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 661.918(a), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) This section applies to a peace officer under Article
2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, who is commissioned as a law
enforcement officer or agent, including a ranger, by:
(1) the Public Safety Commission and the director of
the Department of Public Safety;
(2) the Parks and Wildlife Commission; [or]
(3) the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission; or
(4) the attorney general.
SECTION 4. (a) The classification officer in the office of
the state auditor shall classify the position of commissioned peace
officer employed as an investigator by the Office of the Attorney
General as a Schedule C position under the Texas Position
Classification Plan, 1961.
(b) The change made by the classification officer as
required by this section applies beginning in the state fiscal
biennium beginning September 1, 2015.
(c) This section expires September 1, 2017.
SECTION 5. Section 661.918(a), Government Code, as amended
by this Act, applies only to an injury that occurs on or after the
effective date of this Act.
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2037 was passed by the House on April
16, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 120, Nays 25, 2 present, not
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
No. 2037 on May 27, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 136, Nays 5,
2 present, not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2037 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 25, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 25, Nays
6.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date
__________________
Governor