fire marshal officers move up to Schedule C pay

The text as introduced · 623 words

89R9425 MCK-F

By: Hall
S.B. No. 1981

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the compensation and benefits for certain peace

officers commissioned by the state fire marshal.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 417.006, Government Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 417.006. STATE FIRE MARSHAL PEACE OFFICERS [ AND ARSON

INVESTIGATORS ]. (a) The state fire marshal may :

(1) commission peace officers to act as fire and arson

investigators under the state fire marshal's [ his ] supervision and

to perform other law enforcement duties assigned to the

commissioner and the state fire marshal by law ; and

(2) [ . The state fire marshal may ] revoke a peace

officer's commission under this section for just cause.

(b) The commissioner shall ensure that 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 2. 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, [ or ] the insurance fraud

unit of the Texas Department of Insurance , or the state fire

marshal ;

(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 3. 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;

(5) the insurance fraud unit of the Texas Department

of Insurance; [ or ]

(6) the comptroller ; or

(7) the state fire marshal .

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

the state auditor shall classify the position of commissioned peace

officer employed as an investigator by the Texas Department of

Insurance State Fire Marshal's Office 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.