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House Bill 3352 |
House Author: Woolley |
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Effective: Vetoed |
Senate Sponsor: Whitmire |
House Bill 3352 amends provisions of the Local Government Code relating to civil service for fire fighters and police officers in certain municipalities with a population of 1.5 million or more. In addition to certain technical updates, the bill authorizes the police department to administer the entrance examinations for beginning peace officer positions after the examinees are admitted to a police officer training academy and before the examinees graduate from the academy. The bill sets out other requirements regarding administering the examination and creating an eligibility list based on examination results and adds to the eligibility requirements for a beginning position in the police department. The bill requires the employing municipality to make automatic payroll deductions of police employee group dues for the members of a police employee group recognized by the municipality as the exclusive bargaining agent for its police officers.
Reason Given for Veto: "House Bill No. 3352 would require automatic payroll deductions for the police employee group that has been recognized as the sole and exclusive bargaining agent under the "meet and confer" process authorized in a municipality with a population of 1.5 million or more (City of Houston). Yet, the bill only permits automatic payroll deduction for members of other police employee groups by agreement between the chief executive officer of the municipality (mayor) and the recognized bargaining agent. This type of approval requirement appears to serve only the interests of the current bargaining agent and undermines the meet and confer process."