1-1     By:  Lindsay                                           S.B. No. 188
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed January 3, 2001; January 11, 2001,
 1-3     read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs;
 1-4     January 23, 2001, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas
 1-5     7, Nays 0; January 23, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to paid leave for a state employee who is an emergency
 1-9     medical services volunteer.
1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11           SECTION 1.  Section 661.905, Government Code, is amended to
1-12     read as follows:
1-13           Sec. 661.905.  VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL
1-14     SERVICES VOLUNTEERS.  (a)  In this section, "emergency medical
1-15     services volunteer" has the meaning assigned by Section 773.003,
1-16     Health and Safety Code.
1-17           (b)  A state employee who is a volunteer firefighter or an
1-18     emergency medical services volunteer is entitled to a leave of
1-19     absence without a deduction in salary to attend fire service or
1-20     emergency medical services training conducted by a state agency or
1-21     institution of higher education.  Leave without a deduction in
1-22     salary under this subsection may not exceed five working days in a
1-23     fiscal year.
1-24           (c) [(b)]  A state agency or institution of higher education
1-25     may grant leave without a deduction in salary to a volunteer
1-26     firefighter or an emergency medical services volunteer for the
1-27     purpose of allowing the firefighter or emergency medical services
1-28     volunteer to respond to emergency fire or medical situations if the
1-29     agency or institution has an established policy for granting that
1-30     leave.
1-31           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
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