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.