By: Patterson	H.B. No. 2242

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to illness or injury leave of absence for county and
	municipal firefighters and police officers.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Subtitle C, Title 5, Local Government Code, is
	amended by adding Chapter 179 to read as follows:
	CHAPTER 179. ILLNESS OR INJURY LEAVE OF ABSENCE FOR COUNTY AND
	MUNICIPAL FIREFIGHTERS AND POLICE OFFICERS
	Sec. 179.001.  DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
	(1)  "Firefighter" means a permanent, paid employee of
	the fire department of a county or municipality. The term does
	include the chief of the department. The term does not include:
	(A)  a volunteer firefighter.
	(2)  "Police officer" means a paid employee who is
	sworn, certified, and full-time, and who regularly serves in a
	professional law enforcement capacity in the police department of a
	county or municipality. The term does include the chief of the
	department.
	Sec. 179.002.  EFFECT ON LABOR AGREEMENTS. Notwithstanding
	any other law, including Section 142.067, 142.117, 143.207,
	143.307, 143.361, 147.004, or 174.005, a collective bargaining,
	meet and confer, or other similar agreement may not conflict with
	the provisions of this chapter.
	Sec. 179.003.  LINE OF DUTY ILLNESS OR INJURY LEAVE OF
	ABSENCE. (a) A county or municipality shall provide to a
	firefighter or police officer a leave of absence for an illness or
	injury related to the person's 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 county's or
	municipality's governing body may extend the line of duty illness
	or injury leave at full or reduced pay. If the firefighter's or
	police officer's leave is not extended or the person's salary is
	reduced below 60 percent of the person's regular monthly salary and
	the person is a member of a pension fund, the person may retire on
	pension until able to return to duty.
	(c)  If pension benefits are not available to a firefighter
	or police officer 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 governing body have expired, the firefighter or
	police officer may use accumulated sick leave, vacation time, and
	other accrued benefits before the person is placed on temporary
	leave.
	(d)  If the year at full pay and any extensions granted by the
	governing body have expired, the firefighter or police officer may
	use 12 weeks of unpaid leave.
	Sec. 179.004.  OTHER ILLNESS OR INJURY LEAVE OF ABSENCE. A
	firefighter or police officer who is temporarily disabled by an
	injury or illness that is not related to the person's line of duty
	may:
	(1)  use accumulated sick leave, vacation time, and
	other accrued benefits before the person is placed on temporary
	leave; or
	(2)  have another firefighter or police officer
	volunteer to do the person's work while the person is temporarily
	disabled by the injury or illness.
	Sec. 179.005.  RETURN TO DUTY. (a) If able, a firefighter
	or police officer may return to light duty while recovering from a
	temporary disability. If necessary, the light duty assignment shall
	continue for at least one year.
	(b)  After recovery from a temporary disability, a
	firefighter or police officer shall be reinstated at the same rank
	and with the same seniority the person had before going on temporary
	leave. Another firefighter or police officer may voluntarily do
	the work of an injured firefighter or police office until the person
	returns to duty.
	SECTION 2.  Section 179.002, Local Government Code, as added
	by this Act, applies only to a collective bargaining, meet and
	confer, or other similar agreement entered into on or after the
	effective date of this Act.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.