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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to differential pay and benefits for certain officers and |
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employees of emergency services districts who are members of the |
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armed forces. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 775, Health and Safety |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 775.039 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 775.039. DIFFERENTIAL PAY AND BENEFITS FOR OFFICERS |
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AND EMPLOYEES OF EMERGENCY SERVICES DISTRICTS. (a) A board may |
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provide differential pay to a district officer or employee who is a |
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member of the state military forces or a reserve component of the |
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United States armed forces who is called to active duty if: |
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(1) the board adopts a policy providing for |
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differential pay for all similarly situated officers or employees; |
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and |
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(2) the officer's or employee's military pay is less |
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than the officer's or employee's gross pay from the district. |
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(b) The combination of differential pay and military pay may |
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not exceed the officer's or employee's actual gross pay from the |
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district. |
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(c) For purposes of this section, military pay does not |
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include money the officer or employee receives: |
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(1) for service in a combat zone; |
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(2) as hardship pay; or |
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(3) for being separated from the officer's or |
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employee's family. |
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(d) The differential pay provided by Subsection (a) begins |
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when the benefits allowed under Section 431.005, Government Code, |
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are exhausted and continues until the officer's or employee's |
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active military duty terminates. |
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(e) The board may extend the insurance benefits provided by |
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the district to a district officer or employee who is a member of |
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the state military forces or a reserve component of the United |
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States armed forces who is called to active duty and to the |
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officer's or employee's dependents. The extension period begins |
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when the benefits allowed under Section 431.005, Government Code, |
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are exhausted and continues until the officer's or employee's |
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active military duty terminates. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |