83R19395 TJS-F

By: Geren, King of Parker, H.B. No. 2253

Rodriguez of Travis, Branch, et al.

Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2253:

By: Pitts C.S.H.B. No. 2253

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to compensation for commissioned peace officers employed by the attorney general.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 402.009, Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 402.009. AUTHORITY TO EMPLOY AND COMMISSION PEACE OFFICERS. (a) The attorney general may employ and commission peace officers as investigators for the limited purpose of assisting the attorney general in carrying out the duties of that office relating to prosecution assistance and crime prevention.

(b) The attorney general shall ensure that an investigator employed as authorized under Subsection (a) is compensated according to Schedule C of the position classification salary schedule prescribed by the General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 2. Section 659.301(5), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(5) "State employee" means an individual who:

(A) is a commissioned law enforcement officer of the Department of Public Safety, the Texas Facilities Commission, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, [or] the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, or the attorney general;

(B) is a commissioned security officer of the comptroller;

(C) is a law enforcement officer commissioned by the Parks and Wildlife Commission;

(D) is a commissioned peace officer of an institution of higher education;

(E) is an employee or official of the Board of Pardons and Paroles or the parole division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice if the employee or official has routine direct contact with inmates of any penal or correctional institution or with administratively released prisoners subject to the board's jurisdiction;

(F) has been certified to the Employees Retirement System of Texas under Section 815.505 as having begun employment as a law enforcement officer or custodial officer, unless the individual has been certified to the system as having ceased employment as a law enforcement officer or custodial officer; or

(G) before May 29, 1987, received hazardous duty pay based on the terms of any state law if the individual holds a position designated under that law as eligible for the pay.

SECTION 3. (a) The classification officer in the office of the state auditor shall classify the position of commissioned peace officer employed as an investigator by the Office of the Attorney General as a Schedule C position under the Texas Position Classification Plan, 1961.

(b) The change made by the classification officer as required by this section applies beginning in the state fiscal biennium beginning September 1, 2013.

(c) This section expires September 1, 2015.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.