88R15346 SCL-F
 
  By: Muñoz, Jr., Frazier H.B. No. 995
 
  Substitute the following for H.B. No. 995:
 
  By:  Stucky C.S.H.B. No. 995
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to sheriff's department disability leave in certain
  counties.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 158, Local Government
  Code, is amended by adding Sections 158.041 and 158.042 to read as
  follows:
         Sec. 158.041.  ILLNESS OR INJURY LEAVE OF ABSENCE. (a)  A
  county shall provide to an employee a leave of absence for an
  illness or injury related to the employee's activities performed in
  the line of duty. The leave is with full pay for a period
  commensurate with the nature of the line of duty illness or injury.
  If necessary, the leave shall continue for at least one year.
         (b)  At the end of the one-year period, the commissioners
  court of the county may extend the line of duty illness or injury
  leave at full or reduced pay. If the employee's leave is not
  extended or the employee's salary is reduced below 60 percent of the
  employee's regular monthly salary, and the employee is a member of a
  pension fund, the employee may retire on pension until the employee
  is able to return to duty.
         (c)  If pension benefits are not available to an employee who
  is temporarily disabled by a line of duty injury or illness and if
  the year at full pay and any extensions granted by the commissioners
  court have expired, the employee may use accumulated sick leave,
  vacation time, and other accumulated time before the employee is
  placed on temporary leave.
         (d)  If an employee is temporarily disabled by an injury or
  illness that is not related to activities performed in the
  employee's line of duty, the employee may use all sick leave,
  vacation time, and other accumulated time before the employee is
  placed on temporary leave.
         (e)  After recovery from a temporary disability, an employee
  shall be reinstated at the same rank and with the same seniority the
  employee had before going on temporary leave.
         (f)  While an employee who is temporarily disabled is on
  leave, another employee may voluntarily do the work of the employee
  who is temporarily disabled or donate leave time to maintain the
  salary for the employee who is temporarily disabled until the
  temporarily disabled employee returns to duty.
         Sec. 158.042.  REAPPOINTMENT AFTER RECOVERY FROM
  DISABILITY. With the commission's approval and if otherwise
  qualified, an employee who has been certified by a physician
  selected by a pension fund as having recovered from a disability for
  which the employee has been receiving a monthly disability pension
  is eligible for reappointment to the classified position that the
  employee held on the date the employee qualified for the monthly
  disability pension.
         SECTION 2.  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, 2023.