AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Currently, state employees who are also volunteer firefighters and emergency medical services (EMS) personnel are granted five days of leave per year to keep their certification by taking the mandated courses. However, reserve peace officers are currently left out and have to take personal leave if they want to complete their training during the week.

 

This bill will add volunteer peace officers who are state employees to the statute to give them five days leave per fiscal biennium to take continuing education courses.

 

S.B. 443 amends current law relating to leave for reserve law enforcement officers for required training.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter Z, Chapter 661, Government Code, by adding Section 661.922, as follows:

 

Sec. 661.922.  RESERVE LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS.  (a) Provides that "reserve law enforcement officer" has the meaning assigned by Section 1701.001, Occupations Code.

 

(b) Entitles a state employee who is a reserve law enforcement officer to a leave of absence without a deduction in salary to attend training required under Section 1701.351 (Continuing Education Required for Peace Officers), Occupations Code.  Prohibits leave without deduction in salary under this section from exceeding five working days every fiscal biennium.

 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2013.