BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2073

By: Burrows

County Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been reported that some local governments ordering first responders to quarantine following a potential on-duty exposure to COVID-19 are requiring those first responders to use vacation or sick leave in order to cover the costs associated with the quarantining employee's absence. H.B. 2073 seeks to address this issue by providing quarantine leave for certain first responders and by prohibiting a political subdivision from reducing a first responder's paid leave balance in connection with quarantine leave.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 2073 amends the Local Government Code to require a political subdivision to place on paid quarantine leave a fire fighter, peace officer, or emergency medical technician employed by the political subdivision and ordered by a supervisor or a health authority to quarantine or isolate due to a possible or known exposure to a communicable disease while on duty. The bill requires a political subdivision to provide the following to a fire fighter, peace officer, or emergency medical technician on quarantine leave:

· all employment benefits and compensation, including leave accrual, pension benefits, and health benefit plan benefits; and

· costs related to the quarantine, including lodging, medical, and transportation costs.

H.B. 2073 prohibits a political subdivision from reducing a fire fighter's, peace officer's, or emergency medical technician's sick leave balance, vacation leave balance, holiday leave balance, or other paid leave balance in connection with the quarantine leave. The bill defines "emergency medical technician," "fire fighter," and "peace officer" for its purposes.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2021.