By:  Talton (Senate Sponsor - Whitmire)                           H.B. No. 2457
	(In the Senate - Received from the House April 18, 2005; 
April 19, 2005, read first time and referred to Committee on 
Intergovernmental Relations; May 12, 2005, reported favorably by 
the following vote:  Yeas 4, Nays 0; May 12, 2005, sent to 
printer.)


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT


relating to the entrance requirements, base pay, and longevity pay 
in certain municipalities for a police officer who has previous 
experience as a police officer.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter G, Chapter 143, Local Government 
Code, is amended by adding Section 143.1055 to read as follows:
	Sec. 143.1055.  APPLICANT FOR BEGINNING POSITION IN POLICE 
DEPARTMENT WITH PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE.  Notwithstanding any other 
requirement of this chapter, for any applicant for a beginning 
position in the police department who has previous experience as a 
police officer with another police department, the police 
department may:
		(1)  modify the police officer training academy 
requirements for the applicant; and
		(2)  allow the applicant to take the entrance 
examination before completing the academy training.
	SECTION 2.  Section 143.110, Local Government Code, is 
amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c) to 
read as follows:
	(a)  Except as provided by Subsection (c) and Section 
143.111, all fire fighters or police officers in the same 
classification are entitled to the same base salary.
	(c)  In computing longevity pay and base pay under this 
section for a police officer who has completed the department's 
academy training requirements, the police department may include 
the number of years, not to exceed five, that the police officer 
served in another police department.
	SECTION 3.  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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