By Yarbrough                                          H.B. No. 1238
         76R5082 BDH-F                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to classification of the position of fire marshal in
 1-3     certain municipal fire departments.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter G, Chapter 143, Local Government Code,
 1-6     is amended by adding Section 143.1025 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 143.1025.  CLASSIFICATION OF FIRE MARSHAL.  (a)  The
 1-8     commission shall provide that municipal fire marshals are
 1-9     classified firefighters.  The municipality's governing body shall
1-10     establish the classification by ordinance.
1-11           (b)  Each fire marshal who has been a fire marshal of the
1-12     municipality during the six months preceding September 1, 1999, has
1-13     the status of a civil service employee and is not required to take
1-14     a competitive examination to remain in the position of fire
1-15     marshal.
1-16           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-17           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-18     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-19     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-20     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-21     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.