By:  Madden (Senate Sponsor - Shapiro)                            H.B. No. 263
	(In the Senate - Received from the House March 29, 2005; 
March 30, 2005, read first time and referred to Committee on 
Intergovernmental Relations; May 5, 2005, reported favorably by 
the following vote:  Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 5, 2005, sent to printer.)

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the civil service status of certain fire department employees. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 143, Local Government Code, is amended by adding Section 143.0051 to read as follows: Sec. 143.0051. STATUS OF EMPLOYEES IN CERTAIN FIRE DEPARTMENTS. (a) This section applies only to a fire department employee employed by a municipality with a population of 220,000 or more. This section does not apply to a fire department employee employed by a municipality: (1) that has adopted Chapter 174; or (2) to which Subchapter H or I applies. (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a previously non-classified fire department employee who serves in a position described by Section 143.003(4)(B), (D), (G), or (J) has the status of a civil service employee and is not required to take a competitive examination to remain in the employee's position if: (1) the employee was appointed to that position on or before May 1, 2005, and was serving in that position on the date described by Subsection (c); and (2) the municipality's governing body by ordinance amends the municipality's existing classification of fire department employees to include the employee's position as provided by Section 143.021. (c) The civil service status of an employee to which Subsection (b) applies is effective on the date that the ordinance amending the municipality's classification system to include the employee's position takes effect. (d) A fire department employee who has civil service status under Subsection (b) may be promoted only: (1) by competitive examination in accordance with the competitive civil service procedures prescribed in this chapter; and (2) within the employee's existing division. (e) A fire department employee who has civil service status under Subsection (b) may not: (1) supervise or evaluate classified civil service personnel assigned to fire suppression or emergency medical operations; or (2) laterally transfer to fire suppression or emergency medical operations. (f) If a fire department employee who has civil service status under Subsection (b) leaves the employee's position for any reason, a person selected to fill that position must be selected in accordance with the competitive civil service procedures prescribed in this chapter. SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2005.
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