Bill Text: TX HB2009 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to an annual occupational medical examination for fire fighters.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2025-01-22 - Filed [HB2009 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-HB2009-Introduced.html
| 89R1684 AMF-D | ||
| By: Hernandez | H.B. No. 2009 | |
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| relating to an annual occupational medical examination for fire | ||
| fighters. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Chapter 180, Local Government Code, is amended | ||
| by adding Section 180.011 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 180.011. ANNUAL OCCUPATIONAL MEDICAL EXAMINATION FOR | ||
| FIRE FIGHTERS. (a) In this section: | ||
| (1) "Fire department" has the meaning assigned by | ||
| Section 419.021, Government Code. | ||
| (2) "Fire fighter" means an individual: | ||
| (A) defined as fire protection personnel under | ||
| Section 419.021(3)(C), Government Code; and | ||
| (B) who is certified by the Texas Commission on | ||
| Fire Protection under Chapter 419 of that code. | ||
| (b) A fire department shall offer an annual occupational | ||
| medical examination to each fire fighter employed by the fire | ||
| department at no cost to the fire fighter. | ||
| (c) The annual occupational medical examination required | ||
| under Subsection (b) must be confidential and include: | ||
| (1) a blood test; | ||
| (2) a urine test; | ||
| (3) a pulmonary function test; | ||
| (4) an electrocardiogram; | ||
| (5) an infectious disease screening; | ||
| (6) a cancer screening; and | ||
| (7) a chest x-ray, subject to Subsection (d). | ||
| (d) A fire fighter is eligible to receive a chest x-ray | ||
| during an annual occupational medical examination required under | ||
| Subsection (b) once every five years. | ||
| (e) The Texas Commission on Fire Protection shall adopt | ||
| rules establishing minimum standards for annual occupational | ||
| medical examinations required under Subsection (b) by using | ||
| standards developed by the National Fire Protection Association. | ||
| (f) A fire department is not required to offer an annual | ||
| occupational medical examination under Subsection (b) if the fire | ||
| department offers an annual occupational medical examination under | ||
| an annual occupational medical examination plan submitted to the | ||
| Texas Commission on Fire Protection by February 1 of each year. The | ||
| plan must be endorsed by a physician and be in substantial | ||
| compliance with standards developed by the National Fire Protection | ||
| Association. The commission shall adopt rules to implement this | ||
| subsection. | ||
| SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date | ||
| of this Act but not later than January 1, 2027, the Texas Commission | ||
| on Fire Protection shall adopt rules as required by Sections | ||
| 180.011(e) and (f), Local Government Code, as added by this Act. | ||
| SECTION 3. A fire department is not required to comply with | ||
| Section 180.011, Local Government Code, as added by this Act, until | ||
| February 1, 2027. | ||
| SECTION 4. 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, 2025. | ||
