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.