By Yarbrough                                    H.B. No. 2204

      75R6865 JMM-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the entitlement of certain peace officers to benefits

 1-3     for injuries sustained in the course of employment as a peace

 1-4     officer.

 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-6           SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 504, Labor Code, is amended

 1-7     by adding Section 504.019 to read as follows:

 1-8           Sec. 504.019.  COVERAGE FOR PEACE OFFICER.  A peace officer

 1-9     employed by a political subdivision who is otherwise entitled to

1-10     benefits under this chapter for an injury sustained while

1-11     performing actions in the course and scope of the officer's

1-12     employment may not be denied benefits on the grounds that the peace

1-13     officer was not on duty at the time the injury occurred.

1-14           SECTION 2.  Section 142.004, Local Government Code, is

1-15     amended by adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:

1-16           (f)  A peace officer who is otherwise entitled to benefits

1-17     under this section for an injury sustained while performing actions

1-18     in the course and scope of the officer's employment may not be

1-19     denied benefits on the grounds that the peace officer was not on

1-20     duty at the time the injury occurred.

1-21           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-22     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-23     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-24     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-1     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

 2-2     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

 2-3     passage, and it is so enacted.