BILL ANALYSIS



H.B. 1742
By: Gutierrez
4-26-95
Committee Report (Amended)


BACKGROUND

A county civil service system is a locally appointed board that
controls civil service in a county.  Public employees must vote to
establish such a system.  If the system is established, all action
concerning civil service employees must then go before the board. 
These actions include pay-raises, termination, and the like.  The
employee will gain some leverage by having the right to be formally
heard before the board concerning such matters.

Currently, public employees in counties with populations of less
than 290,000 do not have the right to a direct petition to hold an
election to establish a civil service system.  They must petition
through the court of the county commissioner.  Because the county
commissioner in these counties currently makes all decisions
relating to public employment, it is very difficult for the public
employees to obtain the right to set up a board which will take
those powers away from the county commissioner.

PURPOSE

This bill would give public employees in counties with a population
of less than 290,000 the right to a direct petition to hold an
election to establish a county civil service system.

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.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.   Amends Section 158.0065(a), Local Government Code, to
read: (a) This section applies only to [in] a county [with a
population of 290,000 or more] that would not be eligible to expand
or dissolve the system under Section 158.007.

SECTION 2.   Emergency clause.


EXPLANATION OF AMENDMENTS

Committee amendment #1 states that this section applies to counties
with a population of 200,000 or more.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION

HB 1742 was considered by the County Affairs Committee in a public
hearing on 3/22/95. The following people testified for HB 1742:
Dale Curfman, representing himself; and Charley Wilkison,
representing himself. HB 1742 was left pending. HB 1742 was
considered by the County Affairs Committee in a public hearing on
4/26/95. The committee considered one committee amendment. The
amendment was adopted without objection. HB 1742 was reported
favorably, as amended, with the recommendation that it do pass and
be printed, by the record vote of 5 ayes, 3 nays, 0 pnv, 1 absent.