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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the conditions of employment for firefighters employed |
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by certain airport districts; providing penalties. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle C, Title 5, Local Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 179 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 179. CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT FOR FIREFIGHTERS OF |
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CERTAIN AIRPORT DISTRICTS |
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Sec. 179.001. APPLICABILITY. (a) This chapter applies to a |
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fire department of and firefighters employed by an airport district |
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created by an interlocal agreement between two or more political |
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subdivisions of this state. |
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(b) For purposes of this section, a reference to a |
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municipality or a municipal official in a provision of law made |
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applicable by this chapter to a district described by Subsection |
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(a) is considered to be a reference to the district or the official |
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of the district responsible for the performance of the duty to which |
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the provision applies. |
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Sec. 179.002. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "firefighter" |
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means a person defined as fire protection personnel under Section |
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419.021, Government Code. |
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Sec. 179.003. PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS; LONGEVITY PAY; |
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CLASSIFICATION PAY; PENALTY. (a) Sections 141.008, 141.032, and |
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141.033 apply to a firefighter employed by an employer covered by |
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this chapter. |
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(b) The penalty under Section 141.035 applies to a person |
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who is in charge of the fire department under this section or who is |
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responsible for setting the compensation for firefighters employed |
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by an employer covered by this chapter. |
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Sec. 179.004. ASSISTANCE; BENEFITS; WORKING CONDITIONS; |
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PENALTY. Sections 142.001, 142.0013, 142.0015, 142.0016, 142.004, |
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142.009, and 142.010 apply to a firefighter employed by an employer |
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covered by this chapter. |
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Sec. 179.005. CIVIL SERVICE. (a) An airport district to |
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which this chapter applies is considered to have adopted Chapter |
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143 as it applies to the airport district's fire department in the |
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same manner as a municipality with a population of less than 1.5 |
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million to which that chapter applies, and Subchapters A-F, Chapter |
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143, apply to the district's fire department. |
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(b) Each firefighter who has been in the service of the |
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airport district for more than six months at the time this chapter |
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first becomes applicable to the airport district and who is |
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entitled to civil service classification has the status of a civil |
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service employee and is not required to take a competitive |
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examination to remain in the position the person occupies at the |
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time this chapter first becomes applicable to the airport district. |
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(c) The Fire Fighters' Civil Service Commission is |
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established in each airport district subject to this chapter. The |
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chief operative officer of the airport district shall appoint the |
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members of the commission within 60 days after the date this chapter |
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first becomes applicable to the airport district. Within 30 days |
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after the date the airport district's first full fiscal year begins |
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after the date this chapter first becomes applicable to the airport |
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district, the governing body of the airport district shall |
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implement this chapter. |
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(d) The office of Director of Fire Fighters' Civil Service |
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is established in each airport district subject to this chapter. |
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The commission shall appoint the director. The director shall |
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serve as secretary to the commission and perform work incidental to |
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the civil service system as required by the commission. The |
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commission may remove the director at any time. |
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SECTION 2. (a) On the effective date of this Act, Chapter |
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179, Local Government Code, as added by this Act, first becomes |
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applicable to an existing airport district. |
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(b) An airport district to which Chapter 143, Local |
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Government Code, is, without regard to the holding of an election, |
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applicable because of the change in law made by this Act shall |
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implement a civil service system in the municipality in accordance |
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with the terms of Subchapters A-F, Chapter 143, Local Government |
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Code, and in accordance with Chapter 179, Local Government Code, as |
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added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |