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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to quarantine leave for fire fighters, peace officers, |
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detention officers, and emergency medical technicians employed by, |
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appointed by, or elected for a political subdivision. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The heading to Chapter 180, Local Government |
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Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 180. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS AFFECTING OFFICERS AND |
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EMPLOYEES OF MORE THAN ONE TYPE OF [MUNICIPALITIES, COUNTIES, AND |
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CERTAIN OTHER] LOCAL GOVERNMENT [GOVERNMENTS] |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 180, Local Government Code, is amended |
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by adding Section 180.008 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 180.008. PAID QUARANTINE LEAVE FOR FIRE FIGHTERS, |
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PEACE OFFICERS, DETENTION OFFICERS, AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL |
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TECHNICIANS. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Detention officer" means an individual appointed |
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or employed by a political subdivision as a county jailer or other |
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individual responsible for the care and custody of individuals |
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incarcerated in a county or municipal jail. |
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(2) "Emergency medical technician" means an |
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individual who is: |
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(A) certified as an emergency medical technician |
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under Chapter 773, Health and Safety Code; and |
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(B) employed by a political subdivision. |
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(3) "Fire fighter" means a paid employee of a |
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municipal fire department or emergency services district who: |
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(A) holds a position that requires substantial |
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knowledge of fire fighting; |
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(B) has met the requirements for certification by |
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the Texas Commission on Fire Protection under Chapter 419, |
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Government Code; and |
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(C) performs a function listed in Section |
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143.003(4)(A). |
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(4) "Health authority" has the meaning assigned by |
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Section 121.021, Health and Safety Code. |
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(5) "Peace officer" means an individual described by |
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Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, who is elected for, |
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employed by, or appointed by a political subdivision. |
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(b) The governing body of a political subdivision shall |
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develop and implement a paid quarantine leave policy for fire |
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fighters, peace officers, detention officers, and emergency |
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medical technicians who are employed by, appointed by, or elected |
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for the political subdivision and ordered to quarantine or isolate |
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due to a possible or known exposure to a communicable disease while |
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on duty. |
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(c) A paid quarantine leave policy must: |
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(1) provide that a fire fighter, peace officer, |
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detention officer, or emergency medical technician on paid |
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quarantine leave receive: |
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(A) all employment benefits and compensation, |
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including leave accrual, pension benefits, and health benefit plan |
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benefits for the duration of the leave; and |
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(B) reimbursement for reasonable costs related |
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to the quarantine, including lodging, medical, and transportation; |
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and |
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(2) require that the leave be ordered by the person's |
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supervisor or the political subdivision's health authority. |
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(d) A political subdivision may not reduce a fire fighter's, |
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peace officer's, detention officer's, or emergency medical |
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technician's sick leave balance, vacation leave balance, holiday |
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leave balance, or other paid leave balance in connection with paid |
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quarantine leave taken in accordance with a policy adopted under |
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this section. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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