By:  Kuempel (Senate Sponsor - Armbrister)                        H.B. No. 2237
	(In the Senate - Received from the House May 12, 2003; 
May 13, 2003, read first time and referred to Committee on 
Intergovernmental Relations; May 24, 2003, reported adversely, 
with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 5, 
Nays 0; May 24, 2003, sent to printer.)


COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 2237                                   By:  Gallegos


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT


relating to the financial assistance for the eligible survivor of a 
member of an organized volunteer fire-fighting unit.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 615.003, Government Code, is amended to 
read as follows: 
	Sec. 615.003.  APPLICABILITY.  This chapter applies only to 
eligible survivors of the following individuals:
		(1)  an individual elected, appointed, or employed as a 
peace officer by the state or a political subdivision of the state 
under Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, or other law;
		(2)  a paid probation officer appointed by the director 
of a community supervision and corrections department who has the 
duties set out in Section 76.002 and the qualifications set out in 
Section 76.005, or who was appointed in accordance with prior law;
		(3)  a parole officer employed by the pardons and 
paroles division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice who 
has the duties set out in Section 508.001 and the qualifications set 
out in Section 508.113 or in prior law;
		(4)  a paid jailer;                                                           
		(5)  a member of an organized police reserve or 
auxiliary unit who regularly assists peace officers in enforcing 
criminal laws;
		(6)  a member of the class of employees of the 
institutional division or the state jail division of the Texas 
Department of Criminal Justice formally designated as custodial 
personnel under Section 615.006 by the Texas Board of Criminal 
Justice or its predecessor in function;
		(7)  a jailer or guard of a county jail who is appointed 
by the sheriff and who:
			(A)  performs a security, custodial, or 
supervisory function over the admittance, confinement, or 
discharge of prisoners; and
			(B)  is certified by the Commission on Law 
Enforcement Officer Standards and Education;
		(8)  a juvenile correctional employee of the Texas 
Youth Commission;        
		(9)  an employee of the Texas Department of Mental 
Health and Mental Retardation who:
			(A)  works at the department's maximum security 
unit; or                   
			(B)  performs on-site services for the Texas 
Department of Criminal Justice;
		(10)  an individual who is employed by the state or a 
political or legal subdivision and is subject to certification by 
the Texas Commission on Fire Protection;
		(11)  an individual employed by the state or a 
political or legal subdivision whose principal duties are aircraft 
crash and rescue fire fighting;
		(12)  a member of an organized volunteer fire-fighting 
unit that:           
			(A)  renders fire-fighting services without 
remuneration; and       
			(B)  [consists of not fewer than 20 active 
members, a majority of whom are present at each meeting; and
			[(C)]  conducts a minimum of two drills each 
month, each two hours long; or
		(13)  an individual who:                                                      
			(A)  performs emergency medical services or 
operates an ambulance;         
			(B)  is employed by a political subdivision of the 
state or is an emergency medical services volunteer as defined by 
Section 773.003, Health and Safety Code; and
			(C)  is qualified as an emergency care attendant 
or at a higher level of training under Section 773.046, 773.047, 
773.048, 773.049, or 773.0495, Health and Safety Code.
	SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act to Section 
615.003, Government Code, relating to the death of a member of an 
organized volunteer fire-fighting unit applies only in relation to 
a death that occurs on or after the effective date of this Act. 
Matters regarding eligibility, payment, and benefits under Chapter 
615, Government Code, in relation to a death that occurs before the 
effective date of this Act are governed by the law in effect when 
the death occurs, and the former law is continued in effect for that 
purpose.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.                           



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