| 1 | 1 | | 87R5541 SCL-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Springer S.B. No. 1401 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to quarantine leave for fire fighters, peace officers, and |
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| 8 | 8 | | emergency medical technicians employed by, appointed by, or elected |
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| 9 | 9 | | for a political subdivision. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. The heading to Chapter 180, Local Government |
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| 12 | 12 | | Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | CHAPTER 180. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS AFFECTING OFFICERS AND |
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| 14 | 14 | | EMPLOYEES OF MORE THAN ONE TYPE OF [MUNICIPALITIES, COUNTIES, AND |
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| 15 | 15 | | CERTAIN OTHER] LOCAL GOVERNMENT [GOVERNMENTS] |
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| 16 | 16 | | SECTION 2. Chapter 180, Local Government Code, is amended |
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| 17 | 17 | | by adding Section 180.008 to read as follows: |
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| 18 | 18 | | Sec. 180.008. QUARANTINE LEAVE FOR FIRE FIGHTERS, PEACE |
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| 19 | 19 | | OFFICERS, AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS. (a) In this section: |
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| 20 | 20 | | (1) "Emergency medical technician" means an |
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| 21 | 21 | | individual who is: |
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| 22 | 22 | | (A) certified as an emergency medical technician |
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| 23 | 23 | | under Chapter 773, Health and Safety Code; and |
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| 24 | 24 | | (B) employed by a political subdivision. |
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| 25 | 25 | | (2) "Fire fighter" means a paid employee of a |
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| 26 | 26 | | municipal fire department or emergency services district who: |
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| 27 | 27 | | (A) holds a position that requires substantial |
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| 28 | 28 | | knowledge of fire fighting; |
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| 29 | 29 | | (B) has met the requirements for certification by |
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| 30 | 30 | | the Texas Commission on Fire Protection under Chapter 419, |
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| 31 | 31 | | Government Code; and |
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| 32 | 32 | | (C) performs a function listed in Section |
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| 33 | 33 | | 143.003(4)(A). |
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| 34 | 34 | | (3) "Peace officer" means an individual described by |
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| 35 | 35 | | Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, who is elected for, |
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| 36 | 36 | | employed by, or appointed by a political subdivision. |
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| 37 | 37 | | (b) A political subdivision shall place on paid quarantine |
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| 38 | 38 | | leave a fire fighter, peace officer, or emergency medical |
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| 39 | 39 | | technician employed by the political subdivision and ordered by a |
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| 40 | 40 | | supervisor or a health authority to quarantine or isolate due to a |
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| 41 | 41 | | possible or known exposure to a communicable disease while on duty. |
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| 42 | 42 | | (c) A political subdivision shall provide to a fire fighter, |
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| 43 | 43 | | peace officer, or emergency medical technician on quarantine leave: |
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| 44 | 44 | | (1) all employment benefits and compensation, |
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| 45 | 45 | | including leave accrual, pension benefits, and health benefit plan |
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| 46 | 46 | | benefits; and |
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| 47 | 47 | | (2) costs related to the quarantine, including |
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| 48 | 48 | | lodging, medical, and transportation costs. |
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| 49 | 49 | | (d) A political subdivision may not reduce a fire fighter's, |
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| 50 | 50 | | peace officer's, or emergency medical technician's sick leave |
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| 51 | 51 | | balance, vacation leave balance, holiday leave balance, or other |
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| 52 | 52 | | paid leave balance in connection with quarantine leave required by |
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| 53 | 53 | | Subsection (b). |
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| 54 | 54 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 55 | 55 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 56 | 56 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 57 | 57 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 58 | 58 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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