BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 997

By: Muñoz, Jr.

Urban Affairs

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

First responders who work in a municipality in which they do not reside have raised concerns over their inability to collect signatures for civil service, meet and confer, and collective bargaining initiatives in the municipality.

C.S.H.B. 997 seeks to address these concerns by allowing a fire fighter or police officer who is employed by a municipality to circulate petitions and collect signatures for such initiatives regardless of residence in the municipality.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 997 amends the Local Government Code to prohibit a municipality from adopting or enforcing a charter provision, ordinance, policy, or other measure that prohibits an employee of the municipality's police or fire department from circulating or signing a petition authorized by the fire fighters' and police officers' civil service law, The Fire and Police Employee Relations Act, or statutory provisions relating to local control of police officer and firefighter employment matters in certain municipalities.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2023.

COMPARISON OF INTRODUCED AND SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 997 differs from the introduced in minor or nonsubstantive ways by conforming to certain bill drafting conventions and by amending the caption.