79R5334 KSD-D

By:  McReynolds                                                   H.B. No. 1848



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the classification of certain employees of the Texas 
Forest Service as fire protection personnel.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 419, Government Code, is 
amended by adding Section 419.0215 to read as follows:
	Sec. 419.0215.  CERTAIN TEXAS FOREST SERVICE EMPLOYEES AS 
FIRE PROTECTION PERSONNEL.  (a)  This section applies only to an 
employee of the Texas Forest Service who:
		(1)  is assigned fire-fighting, fire-prevention, 
rescue, or incident management duties; and
		(2)  meets or is scheduled to meet the applicable 
qualifications and training guidelines established by the National 
Wildfire Coordinating Group for the performance of the employee's 
assigned duties.
	(b)  Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter or any 
other law, a reference in law to "fire protection personnel" 
includes an employee of the Texas Forest Service to whom this 
section applies except that the employee is not required to comply 
with any requirement or standard for fire protection personnel 
imposed by this chapter.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.