H.B. No. 2073
AN ACT
relating to quarantine leave for fire fighters, peace officers,
detention officers, and emergency medical technicians employed by,
appointed by, or elected for a political subdivision.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. The heading to Chapter 180, Local Government
Code, is amended to read as follows:
CHAPTER 180. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS AFFECTING OFFICERS AND
EMPLOYEES OF MORE THAN ONE TYPE OF [MUNICIPALITIES, COUNTIES, AND
CERTAIN OTHER] LOCAL GOVERNMENT [GOVERNMENTS]
SECTION 2. Chapter 180, Local Government Code, is amended
by adding Section 180.008 to read as follows:
Sec. 180.008. PAID QUARANTINE LEAVE FOR FIRE FIGHTERS,
PEACE OFFICERS, DETENTION OFFICERS, AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL
TECHNICIANS. (a) In this section:
(1) "Detention officer" means an individual appointed
or employed by a political subdivision as a county jailer or other
individual responsible for the care and custody of individuals
incarcerated in a county or municipal jail.
(2) "Emergency medical technician" means an
individual who is:
(A) certified as an emergency medical technician
under Chapter 773, Health and Safety Code; and
(B) employed by a political subdivision.
(3) "Fire fighter" means a paid employee of a
municipal fire department or emergency services district who:
(A) holds a position that requires substantial
knowledge of fire fighting;
(B) has met the requirements for certification by
the Texas Commission on Fire Protection under Chapter 419,
Government Code; and
(C) performs a function listed in Section
143.003(4)(A).
(4) "Health authority" has the meaning assigned by
Section 121.021, Health and Safety Code.
(5) "Peace officer" means an individual described by
Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, who is elected for,
employed by, or appointed by a political subdivision.
(b) The governing body of a political subdivision shall
develop and implement a paid quarantine leave policy for fire
fighters, peace officers, detention officers, and emergency
medical technicians who are employed by, appointed by, or elected
for the political subdivision and ordered to quarantine or isolate
due to a possible or known exposure to a communicable disease while
on duty.
(c) A paid quarantine leave policy must:
(1) provide that a fire fighter, peace officer,
detention officer, or emergency medical technician on paid
quarantine leave receive:
(A) all employment benefits and compensation,
including leave accrual, pension benefits, and health benefit plan
benefits for the duration of the leave; and
(B) reimbursement for reasonable costs related
to the quarantine, including lodging, medical, and transportation;
and
(2) require that the leave be ordered by the person's
supervisor or the political subdivision's health authority.
(d) A political subdivision may not reduce a fire fighter's,
peace officer's, detention officer's, or emergency medical
technician's sick leave balance, vacation leave balance, holiday
leave balance, or other paid leave balance in connection with paid
quarantine leave taken in accordance with a policy adopted under
this section.
SECTION 3. 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, 2021.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2073 was passed by the House on April
7, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 146, Nays 0, 1 present, not
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
No. 2073 on May 28, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 146, Nays 0,
1 present, not voting.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 2073 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 26, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays
0.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date
__________________
Governor