| 1 | 1 | | 89R11179 SCL-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Turner H.B. No. 4144 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to supplemental benefits for retired firefighters and |
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| 10 | 10 | | peace officers diagnosed with certain diseases or illnesses. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 607, Government Code, is amended by |
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| 13 | 13 | | adding Subchapter D to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | SUBCHAPTER D. BENEFITS FOR CERTAIN DISEASES OR ILLNESSES SUFFERED |
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| 15 | 15 | | BY RETIRED FIREFIGHTERS AND PEACE OFFICERS |
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| 16 | 16 | | Sec. 607.151. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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| 17 | 17 | | (1) "Consumer price index" means the average over a |
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| 18 | 18 | | calendar year of the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers |
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| 19 | 19 | | (CPI-U), U.S. City Average, published monthly by the United States |
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| 20 | 20 | | Bureau of Labor Statistics, or its successor in function. |
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| 21 | 21 | | (2) "Firefighter" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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| 22 | 22 | | 607.051. |
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| 23 | 23 | | (3) "Governmental entity" means a state agency or |
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| 24 | 24 | | political subdivision. |
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| 25 | 25 | | (4) "Peace officer" has the meaning assigned by |
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| 26 | 26 | | Section 607.051. |
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| 27 | 27 | | Sec. 607.152. BENEFITS FOR CANCER, ACUTE MYOCARDIAL |
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| 28 | 28 | | INFARCTION, OR STROKE. (a) A governmental entity shall provide to |
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| 29 | 29 | | a firefighter or peace officer who retires from the entity a |
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| 30 | 30 | | critical-illness supplemental income benefit or comparable health |
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| 31 | 31 | | benefit plan coverage in accordance with this section if the |
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| 32 | 32 | | firefighter or peace officer is diagnosed with a disease described |
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| 33 | 33 | | by Section 607.055 or 607.056 not later than the third anniversary |
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| 34 | 34 | | of the date the firefighter or peace officer retires. |
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| 35 | 35 | | (b) The value of the supplemental income benefit provided |
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| 36 | 36 | | under Subsection (a) is the lesser of: |
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| 37 | 37 | | (1) the firefighter's or peace officer's final yearly |
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| 38 | 38 | | salary; or |
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| 39 | 39 | | (2) $100,000. |
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| 40 | 40 | | (c) A governmental entity providing a supplemental income |
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| 41 | 41 | | benefit under Subsection (a) may provide the benefit in a lump sum |
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| 42 | 42 | | payment or equal payments over three consecutive months. |
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| 43 | 43 | | (d) Not later than September 1 of each year ending in a five, |
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| 44 | 44 | | the commissioner of insurance by rule shall adjust the amount |
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| 45 | 45 | | described by Subsection (b)(2) by an amount equal to the percentage |
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| 46 | 46 | | increase, if any, in the consumer price index for the preceding 10 |
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| 47 | 47 | | years. |
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| 48 | 48 | | SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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| 49 | 49 | | to a firefighter or peace officer who retires on or after January 1, |
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| 50 | 50 | | 2026. |
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| 51 | 51 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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