Title GV, Government Code

Sec. 419.012. TECHNOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS. The commission shall implement a policy requiring the commission to use appropriate technological solutions to improve the commission's ability to perform its functions. The policy must ensure that the public is able to interact with the com…

Sec. 419.021. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: (1) "Aircraft rescue and fire protection personnel" means permanent, full-time local governmental employees who, as a permanent duty assignment, fight aircraft fires at airports, stand by for potential crash landings, and perform air…

Sec. 419.022. GENERAL POWERS RELATING TO THIS SUBCHAPTER. (a) The commission may: (1) require the submission of reports and information by a local governmental agency in this state that employs fire protection personnel; (2) assist fire departments and fire protection personnel w…

Sec. 419.0225. CERTAIN RULES PROHIBITED. (a) The commission may not adopt rules restricting competitive bidding or advertising by a certificate holder except to prohibit false, misleading, or deceptive practices. (b) In its rules to prohibit false, misleading, or deceptive practi…

Sec. 419.024. LOCAL GOVERNMENT POWERS. Except as expressly provided by this chapter, this subchapter does not limit the powers, rights, duties, or responsibilities of a local government and does not affect Chapter 143, Local Government Code. Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 147, Sec. 1,…

Sec. 419.025. MANUAL. The commission shall set and collect a fee for a manual that states rules and minimum standards for fire protection personnel. The amount of the fee may not exceed the cost of preparing, printing, and distributing the manual. Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 147, S…

Sec. 419.026. FEES FOR CERTIFICATES. (a) The commission shall set and collect a fee for each certificate that the commission issues or renews under this subchapter, except that if a person holds more than one certificate the commission may collect only one fee for the renewal of …

Sec. 419.0265. RECIPROCITY. (a) The commission may waive any prerequisite to obtaining a certificate under this subchapter for an applicant who holds a license or certificate issued by another jurisdiction: (1) that has licensing or certification requirements substantially equiva…

Sec. 419.027. BIENNIAL INSPECTIONS. (a) At least biennially, the commission shall visit and inspect each institution or facility conducting courses for training fire protection personnel and recruits, each fire department, and each local governmental agency providing fire protect…

Sec. 419.028. TRAINING PROGRAMS AND INSTRUCTORS. The commission may: (1) authorize reimbursement for a local governmental agency for expenses in attending training programs as authorized by the legislature; (2) through issuance or revocation of a certificate, approve or revoke th…

Sec. 419.029. TRAINING CURRICULUM. (a) The commission may establish minimum curriculum requirements for preparatory, in-service, and advanced courses and programs for a school operated by or for this state or a local government specifically for training fire protection personnel …

Sec. 419.030. COOPERATION WITH OTHER ENTITIES FOR TRAINING PURPOSES. The commission may consult and cooperate with a local governmental agency, other governmental agency, university, college, junior college, or another institution concerning the development of training schools an…

Sec. 419.031. TRAINING ASSISTANCE. The commission shall adopt rules and procedures for the administration of a training assistance program under this subchapter. The training assistance provided to fire departments under this subchapter may be provided by any of the following met…

Sec. 419.032. APPOINTMENT OF FIRE PROTECTION PERSONNEL. (a) A fire department may not appoint a person to the fire department, except on a temporary or probationary basis, unless: (1) the person: (A) has satisfactorily completed a preparatory program of training in fire protectio…

Sec. 419.0321. PART-TIME FIRE PROTECTION EMPLOYEES. (a) A fire department may employ part-time fire protection employees under this section. The commission shall create a separate certification class for part-time fire protection employees. (b) To become certified as a part-time …

Sec. 419.0322. CATEGORIES AND DESIGNATION OF PERSONS PERFORMING FIRE PROTECTION DUTIES. (a) Each person who is assigned by a fire department to perform one or more duties listed under Section 419.021(3)(C) must be: (1) fire protection personnel; (2) a part-time fire protection em…

Sec. 419.0325. CRIMINAL HISTORY RECORD INFORMATION APPROVAL REQUIRED FOR CERTIFICATION. (a) The commission may not certify a person as fire protection personnel unless the commission, after review, has approved fingerprint-based criminal history record information about the perso…

Sec. 419.033. CERTIFICATE EXPIRATION. (a) The commission by rule may adopt a system under which certificates expire on various dates during the year. For the year in which the certificate expiration date is changed, certificate fees payable on the date set by commission rule shal…

Sec. 419.034. CERTIFICATE RENEWAL. (a) A fire department or other employing entity may renew an unexpired certification by, before the expiration date of the certificate: (1) submitting evidence satisfactory to the commission of completion of any required professional education; …

Sec. 419.0341. INDIVIDUAL CERTIFICATE HOLDER; CERTIFICATE RENEWAL. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, a person may be certified as fire protection personnel and continue to hold and renew the certificate without regard to whether the person is employed or…

Sec. 419.035. CERTIFICATION EXAMINATIONS. (a) Not later than the 30th day after the date on which a certification examination is administered under this subchapter, the commission shall notify each examinee of the results of the examination. However, if an examination is graded o…

Sec. 419.036. DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS. (a) The commission may revoke or suspend a certificate, place on probation a person whose certificate has been suspended, or reprimand a regulated person for a violation of this subchapter or a rule of the commission. If a regulated person's su…

Sec. 419.0365. DISCIPLINARY HEARING. If the commission proposes to suspend, revoke, or refuse to renew a person's certificate, the person is entitled to a hearing conducted by the State Office of Administrative Hearings. Proceedings for a disciplinary action are governed by the a…

Sec. 419.0366. TRACKING AND ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINT AND VIOLATION DATA. (a) The commission shall develop and implement a method for tracking and categorizing the sources and types of complaints filed with the commission and of violations of this chapter or a rule adopted under this…

Sec. 419.037. APPOINTMENT AS MARINE FIRE PROTECTION PERSONNEL. (a) The commission shall adopt requirements for certification of marine fire protection personnel. A person may not be appointed to a marine fire protection personnel position, except on a probationary basis, unless t…

Sec. 419.038. APPOINTMENT TO AIRCRAFT FIRE FIGHTING AND RESCUE FIRE PROTECTION PERSONNEL POSITION. (a) The commission shall adopt requirements for certification of aircraft fire fighting and rescue fire protection personnel. A person may not be appointed to an aircraft fire fight…

Sec. 419.039. CRIMINAL PENALTY. (a) A person commits an offense if the person: (1) accepts an appointment in violation of Section 419.032 or 419.037; (2) knowingly accepts an appointment in violation of Section 419.038; (3) appoints or retains a person in violation of Section 419…

Sec. 419.040. PROTECTIVE CLOTHING. (a) A fire department shall purchase, provide, and maintain a complete ensemble of appropriate protective clothing for each of its fire protection personnel who would be exposed to hazardous conditions from fire or other emergencies or where the…

Sec. 419.041. SELF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS. (a) A fire department shall furnish with self-contained breathing apparatus all of its fire protection personnel who engage in operations where the personnel might encounter atmospheres that are immediately dangerous to life or he…

Sec. 419.042. PERSONAL ALERT SAFETY SYSTEMS. (a) A fire department shall purchase, provide, and maintain a personal alert safety system for each of its fire protection personnel who would be exposed to hazardous conditions from fire or other emergencies or where the potential for…

Sec. 419.043. APPLICABLE NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION STANDARD. The National Fire Protection Association standard applicable to protective clothing, self-contained breathing apparatus, or personal alert safety systems is the standard in effect when a fire-fighting agency …

Sec. 419.044. INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. (a) A fire department shall develop and maintain an incident management system. The system shall include a written standard operating procedure for the management of emergency incidents. The system shall require operations to be conducted…

Sec. 419.045. PERSONNEL ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM. (a) A fire department shall develop and maintain a standard operating procedure for personnel accountability. The system shall provide a rapid accounting of all personnel at an emergency incident. (b) A fire department shall require …

Sec. 419.046. FIRE PROTECTION PERSONNEL OPERATING AT EMERGENCY INCIDENTS. (a) A fire department shall develop, maintain, and use a standard operating procedure covering fire protection personnel operating at emergency incidents. The procedure shall specify an adequate number of p…

Sec. 419.047. COMMISSION ENFORCEMENT. The commission shall enforce Sections 419.040, 419.041, 419.042, 419.043, 419.044, 419.045, and 419.046. The commission may adopt minimum standards consistent with those sections for protective clothing, self-contained breathing apparatus, pe…

Sec. 419.0471. EXTENSION TO COMPLY WITH COMMISSION STANDARDS. (a) A fire department may request an extension from the commission to comply with the minimum standards adopted under Section 419.047. The commission shall grant a request for an extension if the fire department provid…

Sec. 419.048. FIRE PROTECTION PERSONNEL INJURY DATA; RECOMMENDATIONS TO REDUCE INJURIES. (a) Pursuant to Section 417.004, the commission and the commissioner of insurance, as necessary to allow the agencies to perform their statutory duties, shall transfer information between the…

Sec. 419.071. VOLUNTARY CERTIFICATION PROGRAM FOR VOLUNTEER FIRE FIGHTERS AND FIRE DEPARTMENTS. (a) The commission shall develop a voluntary certification program for volunteer fire fighters and volunteer fire departments. The program must include the same components and requirem…

Sec. 419.072. OBTAINING PAID EMPLOYMENT AS FIRE FIGHTER. (a) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in Subchapter B, a fire department may appoint as fire protection personnel a volunteer fire fighter or former volunteer fire fighter who is certified by the commission under thi…

Sec. 419.073. INDIVIDUAL CERTIFICATE HOLDER; CERTIFICATE RENEWAL. (a) A volunteer fire fighter certified under this subchapter may continue to hold and renew the certificate without regard to whether the person continues to be affiliated with a volunteer fire department. (b) A fo…

Sec. 419.081. MANDATORY INSPECTION AND REGULATION OF CERTAIN STATE AGENCIES. (a) Each state agency providing fire protection shall furnish all of its employees who engage in fire fighting with self-contained breathing apparatus as provided by Section 419.041 for local fire depart…

Sec. 419.082. TRAINING FOR STATE AGENCY FIRE FIGHTERS. The commission may allow a state agency employee who provides fire protection to attend fire protection training programs conducted under Subchapter B, including an employee who is not regulated under Section 419.083. The com…

Sec. 419.083. VOLUNTARY REGULATION OF CERTAIN STATE OFFICIALS, STATE AGENCIES, AND STATE AGENCY EMPLOYEES. (a) Certain state officials, state agencies, and state agency employees may apply to the commission for regulation under one or more discrete components of the commission's …

Sec. 419.084. VOLUNTARY REGULATION OF CERTAIN FEDERAL AGENCIES AND FEDERAL FIRE FIGHTERS. (a) Certain federal agencies and federal fire fighters may apply to the commission for regulation under one or more discrete components of the commission's regulatory authority under Subchap…

Sec. 419.085. VOLUNTARY REGULATION OF CERTAIN NONGOVERNMENTAL DEPARTMENTS. (a) A nongovernmental entity may apply to the commission for regulation under Subchapter B if: (1) the entity is the employing authority for persons who, if employed by a local government, would be fire pr…

Sec. 419.086. ELIGIBILITY FOR CERTAIN TRAINING ASSISTANCE. If an entity or the employees of an entity are regulated under this subchapter so that as a consequence of the regulation a certification fee is paid to the commission on behalf of each employee of the entity who would be…