S.B. No. 1421




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.  Subsection (c), Section 143.023, Local 
Government Code, is amended to read as follows:
	(c)  A person who is 45 years of age or older may not be 
certified for a beginning position in a police department.  [A 
person who is 36 years of age or older and under 45 may not be 
certified as eligible for a beginning position in a police 
department unless the person has at least five years' experience as 
a peace officer or at least five years of military experience.]
	SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 143, Section 143.025, 
Local Government Code, is amended by adding Subsection (j) to read 
as follows:
	(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.  
This commission shall promulgate rules to identify and verify each 
applicant's eligibility for applicability of this subsection.
	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.





______________________________    ______________________________
President of the Senate             Speaker of the House
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1421 passed the Senate on 
April 21, 2005, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that 
the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 26, 2005, by the 
following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0.




______________________________ 
   Secretary of the Senate             
	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1421 passed the House, with 
amendment, on May 20, 2005, by the following vote:  Yeas 137, 
Nays 0, one present not voting.




______________________________ 
   Chief Clerk of the House            



Approved:


______________________________ 
            Date



______________________________ 
          Governor