law enforcement commission’s own officers get hazardous duty pay

The text as introduced · 567 words

89R4937 LRM-F

By: DeAyala
H.B. No. 3649

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

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 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, the Texas Department of

Criminal Justice, the attorney general, the Texas Commission on Law

Enforcement, or the insurance fraud unit of the Texas Department of

Insurance;

(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;

(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; or

(H) is a security officer employed by the Texas

Military Department.

SECTION 2. Section 661.918(a), Government Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(a) This section applies to a peace officer under Article

2A.001, 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;

(3) the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission;

(4) the attorney general; [ or ]

(5) the insurance fraud unit of the Texas Department

of Insurance; [ or ]

(6) the comptroller ; or

(7) the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement .

SECTION 3. Section 1701.160, Occupations Code, is amended

to read as follows:

Sec. 1701.160. AUTHORITY TO COMMISSION INVESTIGATORS AS

PEACE OFFICERS. (a) The commission may commission certified peace

officers as investigators employed by the commission for the

limited purpose of assisting the commission in administering this

chapter.

(b) The commission shall ensure a peace officer

commissioned under Subsection (a) is compensated according to

Schedule C of the position classification salary schedule

prescribed by the General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 4. (a) The classification officer in the office of

the state auditor shall classify the position of commissioned peace

officer employed by the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement as a

Schedule C position under the position classification plan

maintained under Chapter 654, Government Code.

(b) The change made by the classification officer as

required by this section applies beginning with the state fiscal

biennium beginning September 1, 2025.

(c) This section expires September 1, 2027.

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, 2025.