86R1746 SRA-F
 
  By: Alvarado S.B. No. 1344
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to paid leave for a state employee who is a search and
  rescue volunteer.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 661.905, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 661.905.  VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS, [AND] EMERGENCY
  MEDICAL SERVICES VOLUNTEERS, AND SEARCH AND RESCUE VOLUNTEERS. (a)
  In this section:
               (1)  "Emergency[, "emergency] medical services
  volunteer" has the meaning assigned by Section 773.003, Health and
  Safety Code.
               (2)  "Search and rescue volunteer" means an individual
  who without remuneration, except reimbursement for expenses,
  provides services for or on behalf of an organization that conducts
  search and rescue activities.
         (b)  A state employee who is a volunteer firefighter, [or] an
  emergency medical services volunteer, or a search and rescue
  volunteer is entitled to a leave of absence without a deduction in
  salary to attend fire service, [or] emergency medical services, or
  search and rescue training conducted by a state agency or
  institution of higher education. Leave without a deduction in
  salary under this subsection may not exceed five working days in a
  fiscal year.
         (c)  A state agency or institution of higher education may
  grant leave without a deduction in salary to a volunteer
  firefighter, [or] an emergency medical services volunteer, or a
  search and rescue volunteer for the purpose of allowing the
  firefighter, [or] emergency medical services volunteer, or search
  and rescue volunteer to respond to emergency fire, [or] medical, or
  search and rescue situations if the agency or institution has an
  established policy for granting that leave.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.