BILL ANALYSIS



H.B. 1923
By: Maxey
04-30-95
Committee Report (Unamended)


BACKGROUND

Since 1989, each Texas agency has been authorized to create and
maintain a sick leave pool used to benefit fellow employees or
their families who suffer catastrophic illnesses or injuries.  The
pool is comprised of donated paid sick leave by employees who have
not used their own sick time and have chosen not to apply it
towards retirement credit.  Under current law, donations are
limited to 24 hours of sick leave for each fiscal year.  Similarly,
employees leaving state service and employees who have exceeded
retirement credit guidelines are also limited to donating 24 hours
of sick leave per year.  Due to this restriction on donations, many
agencies find their sick leave pool quickly exhausted and unable to
fulfill employee requests.

PURPOSE

H.B. 1923 allows employees and retiring employees to donate an
unlimited amount of time to sick leave pools rather than being
limited to 24 hours per year.

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 661.003, Government Code by amending
           Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (d) as follows:

           (b)  Allows employees to donate as many days of sick
           leave as they wish.

           (d)  Allows retiring employees to designate the amount
           of unused sick leave    that shall be applied towards
           retirement credit (according to current guidelines) and
           the amount that may be donated to a sick leave pool.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1995.

SECTION 3. Emergency clause.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE ACTION

Pursuant to posting of public hearing the House Committee on State
Affairs convened in a public hearing on April 19, 1995.  The Chair
laid out HB 1923 and recognized Rep. Maxey to explain the bill. 
The Chair recognized the following person to testify neutrally on
the bill: Betsey Bishop representing herself.  The Chair recognized
Rep. Maxey to close.  The Chair left HB 1923 pending.  In a public
hearing on April 24, 1995 the Chair laid out HB 1923.  The bill was
reported favorably without amendment with the recommendation that
it do pass and be printed, and be sent to the Committee on Local
and Consent Calendars, by a record vote of 13 ayes, 0 nay, 0 pnv
and 2 absent.