| TO: | Honorable Joseph Pickett, Chair, House Committee on Homeland Security & Public Safety |
| FROM: | Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB1430 by Fletcher (Relating to the employment of certain peace officers, detention officers, county jailers, or firefighters who are injured in the course and scope of duty.), As Introduced |
The bill would amend the Government Code to proscribe an employer from discharging, indefinitely suspending, or terminating from employment a peace officer, detention officer, county jailer, or firefighter due to the person's inability to perform the duties for which the person was elected, appointed, or employed because of the person's injury before the person is certified as having reached maximum medical improvement. The bill would make employers liable for reasonable damages resulting from a violation of the bill and would entitle an individual to reinstatement upon violation of the bill. It is assumed the costs associated with implementing the provisions of the bill could be absorbed within current appropriations. The bill would take effect September 1, 2013.
The Texas Municipal League (TML) reported that there would be costs to cities in paying an injured employee and, while the employee is injured, hiring a second employee to fill job duties. TML reported that because future injuries and recovery cannot be predicted, the costs of the bill cannot be determined.
The Texas Association of Counties also reported that because future injuries and recovery cannot be predicted, the costs of the bill cannot be determined.
Cities and counties would see indeterminate costs associated with the bill that would depend on the number and recovery times of injured employees, but may be significant.
| Source Agencies: | 405 Department of Public Safety, 458 Alcoholic Beverage Commission
|
| LBB Staff: | UP, ESi, SD, JAW, TP, KKR
|