By: Burrows, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Springer) H.B. No. 2073
         (In the Senate - Received from the House April 8, 2021;
  April 12, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on Local
  Government; May 22, 2021, reported adversely, with favorable
  Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0;
  May 22, 2021, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 2073 By:  Springer
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to quarantine leave for fire fighters, peace officers,
  detention officers, and emergency medical technicians employed by,
  appointed by, or elected for a political subdivision.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  The heading to Chapter 180, Local Government
  Code, is amended to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 180. MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS AFFECTING OFFICERS AND
  EMPLOYEES OF MORE THAN ONE TYPE OF [MUNICIPALITIES, COUNTIES, AND
  CERTAIN OTHER] LOCAL GOVERNMENT [GOVERNMENTS]
         SECTION 2.  Chapter 180, Local Government Code, is amended
  by adding Section 180.008 to read as follows:
         Sec. 180.008.  PAID QUARANTINE LEAVE FOR FIRE FIGHTERS,
  PEACE OFFICERS, DETENTION OFFICERS, AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL
  TECHNICIANS.  (a) In this section:
               (1)  "Detention officer" means an individual appointed
  or employed by a political subdivision as a county jailer or other
  individual responsible for the care and custody of individuals
  incarcerated in a county or municipal jail.
               (2)  "Emergency medical technician" means an
  individual who is:
                     (A)  certified as an emergency medical technician
  under Chapter 773, Health and Safety Code; and
                     (B)  employed by a political subdivision.
               (3)  "Fire fighter" means a paid employee of a
  municipal fire department or emergency services district who:
                     (A)  holds a position that requires substantial
  knowledge of fire fighting;
                     (B)  has met the requirements for certification by
  the Texas Commission on Fire Protection under Chapter 419,
  Government Code; and
                     (C)  performs a function listed in Section
  143.003(4)(A).
               (4)  "Health authority" has the meaning assigned by
  Section 121.021, Health and Safety Code.
               (5)  "Peace officer" means an individual described by
  Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, who is elected for,
  employed by, or appointed by a political subdivision.
         (b)  The governing body of a political subdivision shall
  develop and implement a paid quarantine leave policy for fire
  fighters, peace officers, detention officers, and emergency
  medical technicians who are employed by, appointed by, or elected
  for the political subdivision and ordered to quarantine or isolate
  due to a possible or known exposure to a communicable disease while
  on duty.
         (c)  A paid quarantine leave policy must:
               (1)  provide that a fire fighter, peace officer,
  detention officer, or emergency medical technician on paid
  quarantine leave receive:
                     (A)  all employment benefits and compensation,
  including leave accrual, pension benefits, and health benefit plan
  benefits for the duration of the leave; and
                     (B)  reimbursement for reasonable costs related
  to the quarantine, including lodging, medical, and transportation;
  and
               (2)  require that the leave be ordered by the person's
  supervisor or the political subdivision's health authority.
         (d)  A political subdivision may not reduce a fire fighter's,
  peace officer's, detention officer's, or emergency medical
  technician's sick leave balance, vacation leave balance, holiday
  leave balance, or other paid leave balance in connection with paid
  quarantine leave taken in accordance with a policy adopted under
  this section.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
 
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