bill letting voters give stand-alone EMS crews civil service

The text as introduced · 751 words

90R1918 DNC-D

By: Cole
H.B. No. 999

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the civil service status of emergency medical services

personnel employed by local governmental entities other than police

or fire departments in certain political subdivisions.

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

SECTION 1. Subtitle C, Title 5, Local Government Code, is

amended by adding Chapter 174A to read as follows:

CHAPTER 174A. CIVIL SERVICE STATUS OF THIRD SERVICE EMERGENCY

MEDICAL SERVICES PERSONNEL

Sec. 174A.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:

(1) "Emergency medical services personnel" has the

meaning assigned by Section 773.003, Health and Safety Code. The

term applies only to an individual certified under Chapter 773,

Health and Safety Code.

(2) "Political subdivision" means a county,

municipality, emergency services district, school district, junior

college district, special district, or other subdivision of state

government.

Sec. 174A.002. APPLICABILITY. (a) This chapter applies

only to a political subdivision that employs emergency medical

services personnel in an agency or department of the political

subdivision other than a police or fire department.

(b) This chapter does not apply to a municipality to which

Subchapter K, Chapter 143, applies.

Sec. 174A.003. ELECTION TO ADOPT OR REPEAL CHAPTER. (a) A

political subdivision may hold an election to adopt or repeal this

chapter as provided by this section.

(b) If the governing body of the political subdivision

receives a petition requesting an election that is signed by a

number of registered voters who reside in the political subdivision

equal to at least 10 percent of the number of voters who voted in the

most recent general election in the political subdivision, the

governing body shall order an election submitting to the voters the

question of whether this chapter should be adopted. The election

must be held on the first authorized uniform election date

prescribed by Chapter 41, Election Code, that occurs after the

petition is filed and that allows sufficient time to comply with

other requirements of law.

(c) The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or

against the proposition: "Adoption of the emergency medical

services personnel civil service law." If a majority of the votes

received in the election favor adoption of this chapter, the

governing body shall implement this chapter.

(d) A petition for a subsequent election to be held under

Subsection (b) may not be filed for at least one year after the date

of a previous election under that subsection. To be valid, a

petition for a subsequent election must contain the signatures of a

number of registered voters who reside in the political subdivision

equal to at least 20 percent of the number of voters who voted in the

most recent general election in the political subdivision. Any

subsequent election must be held at the next general election that

occurs after the petition is filed.

(e) If the governing body of a political subdivision that

has operated under this chapter for at least one year receives a

petition requesting an election to repeal this chapter that is

signed by at least 10 percent of the registered voters who reside in

the political subdivision, the governing body shall order an

election submitting to the voters the question of whether this

chapter should be repealed. If a majority of the votes received

favor repeal of this chapter, this chapter is void in that political

subdivision.

Sec. 174A.004. STATUS OF EMPLOYEES IF CHAPTER IS ADOPTED.

(a) Each person who is employed for more than six months as

emergency medical services personnel serving in a political

subdivision at the time this chapter is adopted in the political

subdivision and who is entitled to civil service classification has

the status of a civil service employee and is not required to take a

competitive examination to remain in the position the person

occupies at the time of the adoption.

(b) On adoption of this chapter, the governing body of the

political subdivision employing emergency medical services

personnel shall classify the personnel in accordance with:

(1) Section 143.021; and

(2) the duties performed by the personnel.

(c) To the extent it can be made applicable, each provision

of Chapter 143, including the provisions relating to eligibility

lists, examinations, promotions, appointments, educational

incentive pay, longevity or seniority pay, certification pay,

assignment pay, salary, vacation leave, and disciplinary appeals,

applies to emergency medical services personnel serving in a

political subdivision covered by this chapter as if the political

subdivision is a municipality.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2027.