HBA-SEP S.B. 188 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 188 By: Lindsay State Affairs 4/27/2001 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current law entitles a state employee who is a volunteer firefighter to a leave of absence without a deduction in salary to attend fire service training conducted by a state agency or institution of higher education (institution). In addition, current law authorizes a state agency or institution to grant leave without a deduction in salary to a volunteer firefighter for the purpose of allowing the firefighter to respond to emergency fire situations. Extending these provisions to emergency medical services volunteers may increase the state's readiness for emergency and disaster situations. Senate Bill 188 extends these provisions to an emergency medical services volunteer. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS Senate Bill 188 amends the Government Code to entitle a state employee who is an emergency medical services volunteer (volunteer) to a leave of absence without a deduction in salary to attend fire service or emergency medical services training conducted by a state agency or institution of higher education (institution). The bill authorizes a state agency or institution to grant leave without a deduction in salary to a volunteer for the purpose of allowing the volunteer to respond to emergency fire or medical situations if the agency or institution has established a policy for granting that leave. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.