BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

 

C.S.H.B. 4227

By: Goldman

Urban Affairs

Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Several municipalities across the state have raised concerns regarding the repeal of municipal civil service systems for fire and police departments. C.S.H.B. 4227 seeks to address these concerns by restricting the requirement to order an election for the repeal of the municipal civil service system for firefighters and police officers to municipalities below a certain population threshold.

 

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. 4227 amends the Local Government Code to restrict to the governing body of a municipality with a population of less than 900,000 the applicability of the requirement for a governing body to order an election for the repeal of the municipal civil service system for firefighters and police officers on receipt of a petition requesting such an election that is signed by at least 10 percent of the municipality's qualified voters.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

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

 

COMPARISON OF INTRODUCED AND SUBSTITUTE

 

While C.S.H.B. 4227 may differ from the introduced in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

 

The substitute lowers the population threshold on a municipality to which the election requirement for the repeal of the municipal civil service system for firefighters and police officers applies, from less than one million, as in the introduced, to less than 900,000.