According to the Legislative Budget Board (LBB), HB 2513 is not expected to have a significant fiscal impact on the State of Texas. The analysis assumes that any costs incurred as a result of implementing the bill can be absorbed using existing agency resources. This finding reflects that the bill does not create new programs or increase compensation but rather clarifies how existing benefits (specifically, paid military leave) are to be calculated for fire protection personnel working 24- or 48-hour shifts.

Likewise, the bill is not anticipated to have significant fiscal implications for local governments. Although it may affect the accounting of military leave for some local fire departments that employ full-time personnel with extended shifts, the change primarily standardizes leave calculations rather than expanding the scope of benefits. Local entities are therefore expected to absorb any administrative adjustments within their current budgets without additional appropriations or staffing.

The fiscal note reflects input from multiple state agencies, including the Comptroller’s Office, the Texas Workforce Commission, and various higher education systems, none of which flagged material cost concerns. In essence, the fiscal impact of HB 2513 is considered minimal, with the primary effect being administrative clarity and fairness in benefit calculation rather than financial burden.

HB 2513 resolves a long-standing issue whereby firefighters working extended 24- or 48-hour shifts exhaust their statutorily allotted military leave more quickly than other public employees. By clarifying that such extended shifts count as a single “workday” for purposes of calculating military leave, the bill ensures fair and consistent treatment across agencies without creating new entitlements or expanding benefits.

Importantly, the bill does not grow the size or scope of government. It does not establish any new programs, agencies, or mandates. It modifies internal leave accounting rules for a subset of existing public employees and operates within the framework of existing military leave law. The bill also does not expand government authority or delegate new regulatory power to any agency.

Furthermore, HB 2513 does not increase the burden on taxpayers. The Legislative Budget Board determined there are no significant fiscal implications to the state or to local governments. Agencies are expected to absorb any administrative adjustments using current resources. This ensures that the bill achieves policy goals without drawing on additional public funds.

Finally, the bill does not impose any new regulatory requirements on individuals or businesses. It applies strictly to public-sector employment policies and has no effect on private enterprise, regulatory compliance, or individual behavior.

In sum, HB 2513 promotes fairness, respects fiscal restraint, and avoids expanding government or regulatory burdens, making it a sound, limited government solution to an administrative inequity. As such, Texas Policy Research recommends that lawmakers vote YES on HB 2513.

• Individual Liberty: The bill directly supports individual liberty by ensuring that public employees classified as fire protection personnel are not unfairly penalized for the nature of their work schedules when fulfilling their military duties. Firefighters often work 24- or 48-hour shifts, and under current law, each shift could be counted as multiple "workdays" when calculating paid military leave, quickly depleting their allowed 15 days per fiscal year. By clarifying that these extended shifts count as just one workday, the bill respects and protects the rights of firefighters who also serve in the military or emergency response teams, allowing them to meet their service obligations without having to use personal or vacation leave. This promotes fairness and honors the dual commitment many individuals make to both local communities and national defense.
• Personal Responsibility: The bill does not shift responsibility away from individuals nor impose new duties. It preserves the existing framework of military leave while adjusting the internal accounting to reflect the realities of certain job structures. It neither discourages nor particularly promotes personal responsibility but operates within an existing system of civic duty and service.
• Free Enterprise: There is no direct or indirect effect on free markets or private businesses. The bill applies only to public-sector employment and does not regulate or burden the private sector.
• Private Property Rights: The bill does not affect ownership, transfer, or regulation of private property and therefore has no bearing on this liberty principle.
• Limited Government: The bill exemplifies the principle of limited government by improving the clarity and fairness of an existing statute without expanding state power, creating new entitlements, or imposing additional mandates. The bill does not enlarge the role of government or increase state control over individual lives; it refines how a benefit is calculated for existing public employees under current law. Additionally, the bill avoids the creation of new bureaucratic structures or programs, instead promoting administrative efficiency within government by reducing ambiguity in policy implementation. This helps ensure that the state's role is constrained and transparent.