By McReynolds                                         H.B. No. 1079
         77R2651 SGA-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:
1-10                       (A)  has been commissioned as a law enforcement
1-11     officer by the Department of Public Safety, the Texas Alcoholic
1-12     Beverage Commission, the State Board of Pharmacy, the Texas
1-13     Department of Insurance, the state fire marshal, or the Parks and
1-14     Wildlife Department; and
1-15                       (B)  [who] is recognized as a commissioned law
1-16     enforcement officer by the Commission on Law Enforcement Officer
1-17     Standards and Education.
1-18           SECTION 2.  Section 814.104(b), Government Code, is amended
1-19     to read as follows:
1-20           (b)  A member who is at least 55 years old and who has at
1-21     least 10 years of service credit as a commissioned peace officer
1-22     engaged in criminal law enforcement activities of the Department of
1-23     Public Safety, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, the State
1-24     Board of Pharmacy, the Texas Department of Insurance, the state
 2-1     fire marshal, or the Parks and Wildlife Department, as an employee
 2-2     of the Railroad Commission of Texas who is licensed by the
 2-3     Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education and
 2-4     has served at least five years as an investigator for the oil field
 2-5     theft detection division, or as a custodial officer, is eligible to
 2-6     retire and receive a service retirement annuity.
 2-7           SECTION 3.  Section 815.505, Government Code, is amended to
 2-8     read as follows:
 2-9           Sec. 815.505.  CERTIFICATION OF NAMES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND
2-10     CUSTODIAL OFFICERS. Not later than the 12th day of the month
2-11     following the month in which a person begins or ceases employment
2-12     as a law enforcement officer or custodial officer, the Public
2-13     Safety Commission, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, the
2-14     Parks and Wildlife Commission, the State Board of Pharmacy, the
2-15     Board of Pardons and Paroles, the Texas Department of Insurance,
2-16     the state fire marshal, or the Texas Board of Criminal Justice, as
2-17     applicable, shall certify to the retirement system, in the manner
2-18     prescribed by the system, the name of the employee and such other
2-19     information as the system determines is necessary for the crediting
2-20     of service and financing of benefits under this subtitle.
2-21           SECTION 4.  Before October 1, 2001, the Texas Department of
2-22     Insurance and the state fire marshal shall certify to the Employees
2-23     Retirement System of Texas, in the manner prescribed by the
2-24     retirement system, the name of each person employed by the
2-25     department or officer, as applicable, on September 1, 2001, as a
2-26     law enforcement officer as defined by Section 811.001, Government
2-27     Code, as amended by this Act, and such other information as the
 3-1     system determines is necessary for the crediting of service and
 3-2     financing of benefits under Subtitle B, Title 8, Government Code.
 3-3           SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.