BILL ANALYSIS


                                                        S.B. 1689
                                                     By: Montford
                                                          Finance
                                                         05-05-95
                                     Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND

Currently, the Texas Department of Public Safety has a rank system
that employees obtain through promotion and hold for the duration
of their employment.  Employees who obtain a senior rank in the
agency usually do so after acquiring years of service.  The
director does not have the ability, as some other agencies do, to
allow a more compatible, capable employee placement in a designated
key high-level position.

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 1689 allows the director of the Texas Department
of Public Safety the ability to designate key positions within the
agency.

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 Chapter 411A, Government Code, by adding Section
411.0071, as follows:

     Sec.  411.0071.   DIRECT APPOINTMENT TO KEY POSITIONS BY
     DIRECTOR.  (a)  Authorizes the director to designate as a key
     position a position in the Texas Department of Public Safety
     (department) that involves working directly with the director
     or working on a special assignment in the department.
     
     (b)  Authorizes the director to directly appoint a person to
     a position designated as a key position under Subsection (a)
     under criteria determined solely by the director.  Provides
     that the director's appointment of a person to a key position
     or transfer of a person from a key position to another
     position for which the person is qualified is not subject to
     Section 411.007, 411.0075, 411.0076.
     
     SECTION 2.     Emergency clause.
           Effective date:  upon passage.