By Uher                                               H.B. No. 2751
       74R5573 MLR-F
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to certification pay for peace officers employed by the
    1-3  state.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 659, Government Code, is
    1-6  amended by adding Section 659.063 to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 659.063.  CERTIFICATION PAY FOR PEACE OFFICERS.  (a)
    1-8  This section applies only to a person who is employed or appointed
    1-9  by an agency of state government as a peace officer listed in
   1-10  Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, or other law.
   1-11        (b)  A person who holds a proficiency certificate from the
   1-12  Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education
   1-13  described by Subsection (c) is entitled to certification pay in
   1-14  accordance with the person's level of certification.
   1-15        (c)  Certification pay under this section is in addition to
   1-16  the regular pay received by a peace officer and is in the amount
   1-17  of:
   1-18              (1)  $50 a month for an officer who holds an
   1-19  intermediate peace officer certificate, or its equivalent;
   1-20              (2)  $75 a month for an officer who holds an advanced
   1-21  peace officer certificate, or its equivalent; or
   1-22              (3)  $100 a month for an officer who holds a master
   1-23  peace officer certificate, or its equivalent.
   1-24        (d)  A person who holds more than one proficiency certificate
    2-1  is entitled to certification pay only according to the most
    2-2  advanced certificate the person holds.
    2-3        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.  Section
    2-4  659.063, Government Code, as added by this Act, applies only to the
    2-5  first pay period that begins on or after that date.
    2-6        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-7  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-8  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-9  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-10  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.