Texas § GV.607.051 - DEFINITIONS

§ GV.607.051. DEFINITIONS

DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: (1) "Custodial officer" means a person who is employed by the Board of Pardons and Paroles or the Texas Department of Criminal Justice as a parole officer or caseworker or who is employed by the correctional institutions division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and certified by the department as having a normal job assignment that requires frequent or infrequent regularly planned contact with, and in close proximity to, inmates or defendants of the correctional institutions division without the protection of bars, doors, security screens, or similar devices and includes assignments normally involving supervision or the potential for supervision of inmates in inmate housing areas, educational or recreational facilities, industrial shops, kitchens, laundries, medical areas, agricultural shops or fields, or in other areas on or away from property of the department. (1-a) "Detention officer" means an individual employed by a state agency or political subdivision of the state to ensure the safekeeping of prisoners and the security of a municipal, county, or state penal institution in this state. (1-b) "Disability" means partial or total disability. (2) "Emergency medical technician" means an individual who is certified as an emergency medical technician by the Department of State Health Services as provided by Chapter 773 , Health and Safety Code, and who is employed by a political subdivision. (3) "Firefighter" means: (A) an individual who is defined as fire protection personnel under Section 419.021 ; or (B) an individual who is a volunteer firefighter certified by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection or the State Firemen's and Fire Marshals' Association of Texas. (4) "Peace officer" means an individual elected, appointed, or employed to serve as a peace officer for a governmental entity under Article 2A.001 , Code of Criminal Procedure, or other law. Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 695 (S.B. 310 ), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2005. Amended by: Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 993 (S.B. 1582 ), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2019. Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 505 (S.B. 22 ), Sec. 2, eff. June 14, 2021. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 765 (H.B. 4504 ), Sec. 2.103, eff. January 1, 2025.