By Yarbrough                                          H.B. No. 1508
         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to payment of educational incentive pay to certain fire
 1-3     fighters.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Section 143.112, Local Government Code, is amended
 1-6     to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 143.112.  EDUCATIONAL INCENTIVE PAY. (a)  In this
 1-8     section:
 1-9                 (1)  "Accredited college or university" means a college
1-10     or university that is[:]
1-11                       [(A)]  accredited by a nationally recognized
1-12     accrediting agency and by the state board of education in the state
1-13     in which the college or university is located[; and]
1-14                       [(B)  approved or certified by:]
1-15                             [(i)  the Texas Commission on Law
1-16     Enforcement Officer Standards and Education as teaching the core
1-17     curriculum or its equivalent in law enforcement; or]
1-18                             [(ii)  the Texas Commission on Fire
1-19     Protection Personnel Standards and Education].
1-20                 (2)  "Core curriculum in law enforcement" means those
1-21     courses in law enforcement education approved by the Coordinating
1-22     Board, Texas College and University System, and the Texas
 2-1     Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education.
 2-2           (b)  The governing body of a municipality may authorize
 2-3     educational incentive pay for[:]
 2-4                 [(1)  each fire fighter within each classification who
 2-5     has successfully completed courses at an accredited college or
 2-6     university that are applicable toward a degree in fire science; or]
 2-7                 [(2)]  each police officer within each classification
 2-8     who has successfully completed courses at an accredited college or
 2-9     university that are applicable toward a degree in law
2-10     enforcement-police science and include the core curriculum in law
2-11     enforcement.
2-12           (c)  The governing body of a municipality shall authorize
2-13     educational incentive pay for each fire fighter who has or is
2-14     awarded a degree by an accredited college or university.  A fire
2-15     fighter with a Bachelors degree will receive the bi-weekly amount
2-16     of $100.00.  A fire fighter who has a Masters degree will receive
2-17     the bi-weekly amount of $200.00.  A fire fighter who has a
2-18     Doctorate or Doctor of Jurisprudence degree will receive the
2-19     bi-weekly amount of $300.00.
2-20           (d)  The educational incentive pay is in addition to the
2-21     regular pay received by a fire fighter or police officer.
2-22           SECTION 2.  This act takes effect September 1, 2001.