83R8703 TJS-F
 
  By: Geren H.B. No. 2253
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to compensation and benefits 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.  Section 811.001(9), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
               (9)  "Law enforcement officer" means a member of the
  retirement system who:
                     (A)  has been commissioned as a law enforcement
  officer by the Department of Public Safety, the Texas Alcoholic
  Beverage Commission, the Parks and Wildlife Department, [or] the
  office of inspector general at the Texas Youth Commission, or the
  attorney general; and
                     (B)  is recognized as a commissioned law
  enforcement officer by the Commission on Law Enforcement Officer
  Standards and Education.
         SECTION 4.  Section 814.104(b), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (b)  A member who is at least 55 years old and who has at
  least 10 years of service credit as a commissioned peace officer
  engaged in criminal law enforcement activities of the Department of
  Public Safety, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, the Parks
  and Wildlife Department, [or] the office of inspector general at
  the Texas Youth Commission, or the attorney general, or as a
  custodial officer, is eligible to retire and receive a service
  retirement annuity.
         SECTION 5.  Section 814.1075(b), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (b)  A member who has at least 20 years of service credit as a
  law enforcement or custodial officer, including any law enforcement
  officer as defined by Section 811.001(9), is eligible to retire
  regardless of age and receive a standard service retirement annuity
  as provided by this section.
         SECTION 6.  Section 815.505, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 815.505.  CERTIFICATION OF NAMES OF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND
  CUSTODIAL OFFICERS. Not later than the 12th day of the month
  following the month in which a person begins or ceases employment as
  a law enforcement officer or custodial officer, the Public Safety
  Commission, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission, the Parks and
  Wildlife Commission, the office of inspector general at the Texas
  Youth Commission, the Board of Pardons and Paroles, the attorney
  general, or the Texas Board of Criminal Justice, as applicable,
  shall certify to the retirement system, in the manner prescribed by
  the system, the name of the employee and such other information as
  the system determines is necessary for the crediting of service and
  financing of benefits under this subtitle.
         SECTION 7.  (a) The attorney general shall begin making
  deductions and collecting the contributions for the law enforcement
  and custodial officer supplemental retirement fund as provided by
  Section 815.402(h), Government Code, beginning with the first pay
  period that occurs after December 31, 2013.
         (b)  The board of trustees of the Employees Retirement System
  of Texas shall adopt rules as soon as possible after the effective
  date of this Act to implement Section 814.1075, Government Code, as
  amended by this Act.
         SECTION 8.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2013.