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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of the Texas Pay Equity Task Force. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. (a) In this section, "task force" means the Texas |
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Pay Equity Task Force. |
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(b) The Texas Pay Equity Task Force is established to assess |
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whether a disparity exists on the basis of gender, disability, or |
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race in compensation paid to employees of state agencies, counties, |
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and municipalities. |
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(c) The task force is composed of nine members appointed as |
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follows: |
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(1) two representatives of state agencies and one |
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representative of a nonprofit organization engaged in gender, |
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disability, or race pay equity issues, appointed by the governor; |
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(2) one representative of a county, one representative |
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of a municipality, and one representative of a nonprofit |
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organization engaged in gender, disability, or race pay equity |
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issues, appointed by the lieutenant governor; and |
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(3) one representative of a county, one representative |
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of a municipality, and one representative of a nonprofit |
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organization engaged in gender, disability, or race pay equity |
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issues, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives. |
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(d) A task force member is not entitled to compensation for |
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service on the task force but is entitled to reimbursement for |
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actual and necessary expenses incurred in performing task force |
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duties. The task force may accept gifts, grants, and donations to |
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pay for those expenses. |
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(e) The members of the task force shall elect a presiding |
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officer from among the membership. |
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(f) The task force shall meet at least quarterly at the call |
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of the presiding officer. |
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(g) Notwithstanding Chapter 551, Government Code, or any |
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other law, the task force may meet by telephone conference call, |
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videoconference, or other similar telecommunication method. A |
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meeting held by telephone conference call, videoconference, or |
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other similar telecommunication method is subject to the |
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requirements of Sections 551.125(c), (d), (e), and (f), Government |
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Code. |
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(h) The task force shall conduct a study to determine |
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whether a disparity exists on the basis of gender, disability, or |
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race in compensation paid to employees of state agencies, counties, |
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and municipalities. The task force may request payroll information, |
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including the gender, disability status, and race of each employee, |
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from a state agency, county, or municipality, and the state agency, |
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county, or municipality shall comply with the request. |
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(i) If the task force determines that a pay disparity |
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exists, the task force shall develop recommendations to eliminate |
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the disparity. |
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(j) The task force shall develop and submit a written report |
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on the study and recommendations developed by the task force to the |
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governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of |
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representatives, and each member of the legislature not later than |
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November 1, 2022. |
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(k) The task force is abolished and this Act expires June 1, |
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2023. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |