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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to authority for certain state employees to work flexible |
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hours and to work from home or other authorized alternative work |
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sites. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 658.006, Government Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 658.006. VARIED [STAGGERED] WORKING HOURS. (a) |
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Normal working hours for employees of a state agency may be |
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staggered for traffic regulation or public safety. |
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(b) An employee who works from an alternative work site as |
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part of a policy approved under Section 658.010 may, with the |
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approval of the employee's supervisor, complete all or part of the |
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employee's work hours, not including compensatory time and |
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overtime, at times other than the regular working hours established |
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under Section 658.005. |
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SECTION 2. Section 658.010, Government Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsections (c), (d), and (e) to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), the [The] |
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employee's personal residence may not be considered the employee's |
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regular or assigned temporary place of employment without prior |
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written authorization from the administrative head of the employing |
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state agency. |
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(c) The administrative head of a state agency may adopt an |
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agency policy that authorizes the supervisor of an employee of the |
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agency to permit the employee to work from an alternative work site, |
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including the employee's personal residence, as the employee's |
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regular or assigned temporary place of employment. |
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(d) A policy adopted under Subsection (c) must: |
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(1) identify factors the state agency will consider in |
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evaluating whether a position is suitable for an alternative work |
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site, including whether: |
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(A) the position requires on-site resources; |
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(B) the provision of in-person service is |
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essential to the position; and |
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(C) in-person interaction is essential to the |
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position; |
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(2) require an employee who will work from an |
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alternative work site to enter into an agreement with the state |
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agency that establishes the employee's responsibilities and the |
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requirements for communicating with and reporting to the agency; |
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and |
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(3) provide for the revocation of an employee's |
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permission to work from an alternative work site if: |
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(A) the position is no longer suitable for an |
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alternative work site based on the factors identified under |
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Subdivision (1); or |
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(B) the employee violates the agreement entered |
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into under Subdivision (2). |
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(e) Not later than November 1 of each even-numbered year, |
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the Department of Information Resources shall compile and submit a |
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report to the legislature providing information about policies |
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adopted under Subsection (c). The Texas A&M Transportation |
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Institute may assist in creating the report. The report must |
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include: |
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(1) a list of state agencies that have adopted a |
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policy; |
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(2) a description of the requirements of each agency's |
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policy; |
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(3) an estimate of the number of employees who work |
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from an alternative work site as permitted under a policy; |
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(4) an assessment of the productivity, efficiency, and |
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value to taxpayers of employees working from an alternative work |
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site as permitted under a policy; |
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(5) an assessment regarding the collective effect of |
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agency policies on traffic congestion; and |
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(6) any other information the Department of |
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Information Resources determines to be relevant and beneficial. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |