BILL ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 1529 By: Eiland 03-01-95 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND After a fire fighter or police officer voluntarily leaves a department and later decides to return, he or she is currently required to retake an entrance exam before they are reappointed. PURPOSE C.S.H.B. 1529 would allow police officers or fire fighters to be reappointed to the force without taking another entrance exam. 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. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS Section 1: Amends Section 143.021(c) of the Local Government Code, adding exceptions for sections 143.0251 and 143.1251. Section 2: Amends Section 143.0251 of the Local Government Code to allow the commission to adopt rules to allow a police officer who voluntarily resigns from the department to be reappointed without having to take another departmental exam. Section 3: Amends Section 143.1251 of the Local Government Code to allow the commission to adopt rules to allow a police officer who voluntarily resigns from the department to be reappointed without having to take another departmental exam. Section 4: Effective date. Section 5: Emergency clause. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE The substitute eliminates the applicability of these provisions to fire fighters. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION H.B. 1529 was considered in public hearing on March 6, 1995. The following people testified in favor of the bill: Rep. Eiland; James Anderson, representing the Pasadena Police Patrolman's Union; Dick R. Brock, representing Texas Municipal Police Association; Ken Bailey, representing Texas State Association of Fire Fighters; Jerry Purdon, representing Texas City Police Department; and Mike Hines, representing Texas Commission on Fire Protection. The committee considered a complete substitute for the bill. No amendments were offered. The substitute was adopted without objection. The bill was reported favorably, as substituted, with the recommendation that it do pass by a record vote of 7 ayes, 0 nays, 0 pnv, and 2 absent.