SRC-SEW S.B. 1344 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterS.B. 1344
By: Barrientos
Intergovernmental Relations
4/18/2001
Committee Report (Amended)


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

In an emergency situation, firefighters and police officers often must deal
with people in a state of panic or shock.  Any obstacle to effective
communication, such as a language barrier, could be dangerous. Firefighters
and police officers who are fluent in languages other than English could
break through this barrier, potentially saving lives.  S.B. 1344 allows for
compensation for firefighters and police officers who are fluent in another
language.   

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a
state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 141, Local Government Code, by adding Subchapter
C, as follows: 

SUBCHAPTER C.  ADDITIONAL WAGES FOR CERTAIN MUNICIPAL 
FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS

Sec.  141.051.  DEFINITIONS.  Defines "additional language skill,"
"firefighter," and "police officer."  

Sec.  141.052.  ENTITLEMENT TO ADDITIONAL WAGES FOR CERTAIN SERVICES.
Authorizes a fire or police department to designate a firefighter or police
officer as a bilingual interpreter and provides that such a designee is
entitled to appropriate additional wages under certain conditions. 

Sec.  141.053.  DEPARTMENTAL GUIDELINES.  Requires a fire or police
department that designates a firefighter or police officer as a bilingual
interpreter under Section 141.052 to establish certain guidelines for
certain purposes. 

Sec.  141.054.  CIVIL PENALTY.  Provides that a fire or police department
that fails to compensate a firefighter or police officer entitled and
qualified, as determined by the department, to receive additional wages
under this subchapter and the departmental guidelines established under
Section 141.053 is liable to the firefighter or police officer for a
certain amount in damages. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 143.113(c), Local Government Code, to authorize
the municipality's governing body to authorize assignment pay for bilingual
personnel performing specialized functions as interpreters or translators
in their respective departments. 

SECTION 3.  (a) Provides that, except as provided by Subsection (b) of this
section, this Act takes effect September 1, 2001. 

 (b) Provides that Section 141.054, Local Government Code, as added by this
Act, takes effect January 1, 2002.   

(c) Provides that the change in the law made by Section 141.054, Local
Government Code, applies only to the use of additional language skills on
or after January 1, 2002. 

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

Amends As Filed S.B. 1344, as follows:

SECTION 1.  Amends proposed Section 141.054, Local Government Code, to add
the text "as determined by the department." 

SECTION 2.  Authorizes, rather than requires, the municipality's governing
body to authorize assignment pay for bilingual personnel performing
specialized functions as interpreters or translators in their respective
departments. 

SECTION 3.  No change.