BILL ANALYSIS


                                                     C.S.S.B. 970
                                                        By: Ellis
                                      Intergovernmental Relations
                                                          4-20-95
                                   Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND

The current grievance procedure imposed upon Harris County in 1987
has not been honored by some of the elected officials in Harris
County.

PURPOSE

As proposed, C.S.S.B. 970 sets forth certain grievance procedures
for county employees.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or
agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 160.002, Local Government Code, as
follows:

     Sec. 160.002.  COUNTIES AND EMPLOYEES AFFECTED.  Provides that
     this chapter applies only to a county with a population of
     more than 2.4 million and its employees, including, among
     others, employees of community supervision and corrections
     departments, a district attorney, a district clerk, a
     commissioners court, a county tax assessor-collector, a county
     clerk, a statutory county court, and justices of the peace,
     and any other county employee who is not covered by a county
     civil service system.
     
     SECTION 2.     Amends Section 160.003, Local Government Code, to
redefine "grievance."

SECTION 3. Amends Section 160.005, Local Government Code, as
follows:

     Sec. 160.005.  STANDARDIZED GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE.  (a) 
     Requires the commissioners court of the county to enact orders
     to provide for the annual appointment of one or more county
     grievance resolution committees and reasonable leave with pay
     for an employee for the presentation of grievances and a
     representative of the aggrieved employee or a witness to
     attend a grievance proceeding.  Deletes existing Subdivisions
     (3)-(7).
     
     (b)  Deletes provisions requiring the orders and procedures
       to provide for reasonable timetables for filing and
       responding to grievances.
       
       (c)  Authorizes an employee to be represented by another
       person, including another employee, at any stage of a
       proceeding under this section.
       
       (d)  Requires the committee to render, by majority vote, a
       decision on the matter and notify the employee at the
       conclusion of the hearing.  Requires the committee to issue
       a written report discussing the evidence in the case and the
       reasons for the decision.
       
       (e)  Requires each employer subject to this chapter to
       provide its employees with written notice of the rights of
       an employee under this chapter.  Requires the notice to
       include the name and telephone number of any union that
       represents county employees.
       
       (f)  Requires the commissioners court, by order, to require
       any action taken with respect to a complaint filed under
       this section to be evidenced by a written document.
       
       SECTION 4.   Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 5. Effective date:  September 1, 1995.

SECTION 6. Emergency clause.