BILL ANALYSIS


                                                    C.S.S.B. 1253
                                                     By: Montford
                                      Intergovernmental Relations
                                                          5-11-95
                                   Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND

Currently, Section 143.025, Local Government Code, does not permit
police departments to conduct exams for police department
candidates outside the city.  The code does permit fire departments
to conduct these exams anywhere else as long as there are at least
two people at a given location taking the same exam.

PURPOSE

As proposed, C.S.S.B. 1253 authorizes examinations in a fire or
police department to be created and held only if more than one
applicant for the position is present.

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 Sections 143.025(b), (c), and (d), Local
Government Code, as follows:

     (b)  Authorizes an eligibility list for a beginning position
     in a fire or police department to be created only as a result
     of a competitive examination where more than one applicant is
     present, rather than an examination held in the presence of
     each applicant for the position.
     
     (c)  Authorizes an applicant to take an examination only where
     more than one applicant is present, rather than prohibiting an
     applicant from taking the exam unless at least one other
     applicant taking the exam is present.
     
     (d)  Authorizes examinations for beginning positions in the
     fire or police department to be held in different locations if
     each applicant takes the same examination and more than one
     applicant for the position is present, rather than requiring
     each applicant to be examined in the presence of other
     applicants.  Requires the municipality to administer the
     examinations on the same date and at approximately the same
     time; hold at least one of the examinations within the
     boundaries of the municipality; and consolidate the test
     scores from all of the sites into one elibility list, if
     multiple test sites are used.
     
     SECTION 2.     Emergency clause.
           Effective date: upon passage.