BILL ANALYSIS


                                                        H.B. 1529
                                            By: Eiland (Gallegos)
                                      Intergovernmental Relations
                                                          4-20-95
                              Senate Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND

Currently, after a fire fighter or police officer voluntarily
leaves a department and later decides to return, he or she is
required to retake an entrance exam before being reappointed.

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 1529 provides that a police officer who
voluntarily resigns from the department may be exempted from taking
another departmental entrance examination.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is granted
to the Firefighters' and Police Officers' Civil Service Commission
under SECTION 2 (Section 143.0251, Local Government Code) and
SECTION 3 (Section 143.1251, Local Government Code) of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 143.021(c), Local Government Code, to
authorize an existing or created position or classification either
by name or by increase in salary to be filled only from an
eligibility list that results from an examination, except as
provided by Sections 143.013, 143.014, 143.0251, 143.102, and
143.1251.

SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 143B, Local Government Code, by adding
Section 143.0251, as follows:

     Sec. 143.0251.  REAPPOINTMENT AFTER RESIGNATION.  Authorizes
     the Fire Fighters' and Police Officers' Civil Service
     Commission (commission) to adopt rules to allow a police
     officer who voluntarily resigns from the police department
     (department) to be reappointed to the department without
     taking another departmental entrance examination.
     
     SECTION 3.     Amends Chapter 143G, Local Government Code, by adding
Section 143.1251, as follows:

     Sec. 143.1251.  REAPPOINTMENT AFTER RESIGNATION.  Authorizes
     the commission to adopt rules to allow a police officer who
     voluntarily resigns from the department to be reappointed to
     the department without taking another departmental entrance
     examination.
     
     SECTION 4.     Makes application of this Act retroactive.

SECTION 5. (a)  Effective date:  September 1, 1995.

     (b)  Provides that governmental acts and proceedings of a
     municipality or of a police department that reemployed or
     reappointed a police officer who had resigned from the
     department are validated as of the date they occurred. 
     Prohibits the acts and proceedings from being held invalid
     because they were not performed in accordance with law.
     
     SECTION 6.     Emergency clause.
           Effective date: 90 days after adjournment.