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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of state agency grievance procedures |
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for state agency employees. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 6, Government Code, is amended |
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by adding Chapter 674 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 674. EMPLOYEE GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES |
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Sec. 674.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Agency employee" means an individual, other than |
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a state officer, who is employed by a state agency. |
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(2) "State agency" means: |
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(A) a department, commission, board, office, or |
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other agency in the executive branch of state government that was |
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created by the Texas Constitution or a statute of this state, |
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including a university system or an institution of higher education |
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as those terms are defined by Section 61.003, Education Code, other |
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than a public junior college as defined by Section 61.003, |
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Education Code; |
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(B) the legislature or a legislative agency; or |
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(C) the supreme court, the court of criminal |
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appeals, a court of appeals, the state bar, or another state |
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judicial agency. |
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Sec. 674.002. AGENCY EMPLOYEE GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE. (a) |
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The executive head of each state agency by rule shall establish a |
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grievance procedure for agency employees. The procedure must allow |
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an agency employee to appeal an employment action taken by the |
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agency regarding: |
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(1) a disciplinary action imposed on the employee, |
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including: |
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(A) an oral or written reprimand; |
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(B) a demotion; |
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(C) a suspension; |
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(D) a reduction in compensation; and |
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(E) a termination for cause and at will; or |
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(2) the employee's compensation or working conditions, |
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including the hours the employee is required to work. |
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(b) An appeal made under this section is considered to be a |
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contested case under Chapter 2001. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2026, the executive |
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head of each state agency shall adopt rules necessary to implement |
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Chapter 674, Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |