By McReynolds H.B. No. 1404 76R4661 GCH-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to benefits from the Employees Retirement System of Texas 1-3 for law enforcement officers commissioned by the Texas Department 1-4 of Insurance or the state fire marshal. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Section 811.001(9), Government Code, is amended 1-7 to read as follows: 1-8 (9) "Law enforcement officer" means a member of the 1-9 retirement system who has been commissioned as a law enforcement 1-10 officer by the Department of Public Safety, the Texas Alcoholic 1-11 Beverage Commission, the State Board of Pharmacy, the Texas 1-12 Department of Insurance, the state fire marshal, or the Parks and 1-13 Wildlife Department and who is recognized as a commissioned law 1-14 enforcement officer by the Commission on Law Enforcement Officer 1-15 Standards and Education. 1-16 SECTION 2. Section 814.104(b), Government Code, is amended 1-17 to read as follows: 1-18 (b) A member who is at least 55 years old and who has at 1-19 least 10 years of service credit as a commissioned peace officer 1-20 engaged in criminal law enforcement activities of the Department of 1-21 Public Safety, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, the State 1-22 Board of Pharmacy, the Texas Department of Insurance, the state 1-23 fire marshal, or the Parks and Wildlife Department, as an employee 1-24 of the Railroad Commission of Texas who is licensed by the 2-1 Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education and 2-2 has served at least five years as an investigator for the oil field 2-3 theft detection division, or as a custodial officer, is eligible to 2-4 retire and receive a service retirement annuity. 2-5 SECTION 3. Section 815.505, Government Code, is amended to 2-6 read as follows: 2-7 Sec. 815.505. CERTIFICATION OF NAMES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND 2-8 CUSTODIAL OFFICERS. Not later than the 12th day of the month 2-9 following the month in which a person begins or ceases employment 2-10 as a law enforcement officer or custodial officer, the Public 2-11 Safety Commission, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, the 2-12 Parks and Wildlife Commission, the State Board of Pharmacy, the 2-13 Texas Department of Insurance, the state fire marshal, or the Texas 2-14 Board of Criminal Justice, as applicable, shall certify to the 2-15 retirement system, in the manner prescribed by the system, the name 2-16 of the employee and such other information as the system determines 2-17 is necessary for the crediting of service and financing of benefits 2-18 under this subtitle. 2-19 SECTION 4. Before October 1, 1999, the Texas Department of 2-20 Insurance and the state fire marshal shall certify to the Employees 2-21 Retirement System of Texas, in the manner prescribed by the 2-22 retirement system, the name of each person employed by the 2-23 department or officer, as applicable, on September 1, 1999, as a 2-24 law enforcement officer as defined by Section 811.001, Government 2-25 Code, as amended by this Act, and such other information as the 2-26 system determines is necessary for the crediting of service and 2-27 financing of benefits under Subtitle B, Title 8, Government Code. 3-1 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 3-2 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the 3-3 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-4 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-5 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-6 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.