89R10512 MCK-D
By: Troxclair H.B. No. 5448
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to paid leave for public officers and employees engaged in
certain military service.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 437.202, Government Code, is amended by
amending Subsections (a), (a-1), and (b) and adding Subsections
(a-2) and (a-3) to read as follows:
(a) Except as provided by Subsections (b) and (c), a person
who is an officer or employee of this state, a municipality, a
county, or another political subdivision of this state and who is a
member of the Texas military forces, a reserve component of the
armed forces, or a member of a state or federally authorized urban
search and rescue team is entitled to a paid leave of absence from
the person's duties on a day on which the person is engaged in
authorized training or duty ordered or authorized by proper
authority for not more than 30 [15] workdays in a fiscal year.
During a leave of absence, the person may not be subjected to loss
of time, efficiency rating, personal time, sick leave, or vacation
time.
(a-1) In addition to the leave provided under Subsection
(a), a person described by Subsection (a) called [to state active
duty] by the governor or another appropriate authority to state
active duty, including service in another state on request of the
governor of another state, in response to a disaster is entitled to
a paid leave of absence from the person's duties for each day the
person is called to active duty during the disaster, including any
required pre-deployment training, pre-deployment temporary duty,
and post-deployment earned military leave and rest and recuperation
as confirmed in writing by the person's commanding officer [not to
exceed seven workdays in a fiscal year]. During a leave of absence
under this subsection, the person may not be subjected to loss of
time, efficiency rating, personal time, sick leave, or vacation
time. For purposes of this subsection, "disaster" has the meaning
assigned by Section 418.004.
(a-2) In addition to the leave provided under Subsection
(a), a person described by Subsection (a) called to deploy for
military duty in support of a contingency, humanitarian, disaster,
or emergency operation or exercise of the United States is entitled
to a paid leave of absence from the person's duties for each day the
person is called to military duty during the operation or exercise,
including any required pre-deployment training, pre-deployment
temporary duty, and post-deployment earned military leave and rest
and recuperation as confirmed in writing by the person's commanding
officer. During a leave of absence under this subsection, the
person may not be subjected to loss of time, efficiency rating,
personal time, sick leave, or vacation time.
(a-3) In addition to the leave provided under Subsection
(a), a person described by Subsection (a) called to initial
enlistment or officer basic training, initial career field or duty
assignment training, or professional military education is
entitled to a paid leave of absence from the person's duties for
each day the person is called to the training, including any earned
military leave at the conclusion of the training. During a leave of
absence under this subsection, the person may not be subjected to
loss of time, efficiency rating, personal time, sick leave, or
vacation time.
(b) An officer or employee of this state is entitled to
carry forward from one fiscal year to the next the net balance of
unused accumulated leave under Subsection (a) that does not exceed
90 [45] workdays.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.