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House Bill 1960 |
House Author: Maldonado et al. |
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Effective: 6-19-09 |
Senate Sponsor: Lucio |
House Bill 1960 amends the Local Government Code to require a county to pay a peace officer employed by the county for an appearance as a witness in a criminal suit, a civil suit, or an administrative proceeding in which the county or other political subdivision or government agency is a party in interest if the appearance is required, is made on time off, and is made by the peace officer in the capacity of a peace officer. The bill specifies that the payment is at the peace officer's regular rate of pay and may be taxed as court costs in civil suits, and that the provisions do not reduce or prohibit compensation paid in excess of the regular rate of pay.
House Bill 1960 also expands an existing provision that requires a municipality to pay a firefighter or police officer for an appearance as a witness in a criminal or civil suit under the same conditions described above for an appearance by a county peace officer to require a municipality to pay a municipal firefighter or peace officer also for an appearance at an administrative proceeding under those same conditions.