TITLE: Relating to the composition of the Texas Commission on Fire Protection and the disposition of certain fees collected by the commission.

SUMMARY: Relating to the composition of the Texas Commission on Fire Protection and the disposition of certain fees collected by the commission.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to the composition of the Texas Commission on Fire Protection and the disposition of certain fees collected by the commission. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 419.004(a), Government Code, is amended to read as follows: (a) The commission is composed of the following 13 members: (1) two members to be selected from a list of five names submitted by the Texas Fire Chiefs Association who are chief officers with a minimum rank that is equivalent to the position immediately below that of the fire chief and who are employed in fire departments as defined by Section 419.021 that are under the jurisdiction of the commission, at least one of whom must be the head of a fire department and one of whom must be employed by a political subdivision with a population of less than 150,000 [100,000];(2) two members to be selected from a list of five names submitted by the Texas State Association of Fire Fighters who are fire protection personnel as defined by Section 419.021 with the rank of battalion chief or below and who are employed in fire departments or other appropriate local authorities under the jurisdiction of the commission, one of whom must be employed by a political subdivision with a population of less than 150,000 [100,000];(3) two members to be selected from a list of five names submitted by the State Firemen's and Fire Marshals' Association of Texas who are volunteer fire chiefs or volunteer fire fighters; (4) one certified fire protection engineer; (5) one certified arson investigator or certified fire protection inspector; (6) one fire protection instructor from an institution of higher education as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code; and (7) four public members. SECTION 2. Section 419.026(d), Government Code, is amended to read as follows: (d) The commission shall send the fees authorized by Subsection (a) and Section 419.033(b) to the comptroller, who shall deposit [50 percent of] the fees collected annually into [the general revenue fund and 50 percent of the fees collected annually into] a special account in the general revenue fund dedicated for use by the commission. Except as otherwise provided by this chapter, 50 percent of the special fund created under this subsection may be used only to defray the commission's costs in performing inspections under Section 419.027 and the other 50 percent may be used only to provide training assistance under Section 419.031. 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.