By:  Bailey                                                       H.B. No. 2712



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to eligibility for beginning positions in certain police 
and fire departments.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 143, Section 143.025, 
Local Government Code, is amended by adding subsection (j) to read 
as follows:
	Sec. 143.025.  ENTRANCE EXAMINATIONS.  (j)  Notwithstanding 
subsection (i), each applicant who is either a natural-born or 
adopted child of a fire fighter who previously suffered a 
line-of-duty death while covered by this chapter, shall be ranked 
at the top of any eligibility list in which said applicant receives 
a minimum passing grade on that respective eligibility exam.  The 
deceased fire fighter's applicant child must otherwise satisfy all 
of the requirements for eligibility for a beginning position in a 
fire department contained in this Chapter.  The Commission shall 
promulgate rules to identify and verify each applicant's 
eligibility for applicability of this subsection.
	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.