By Moreno H.B. No. 728 74R3764 PAM-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to granting county civil service commissions certain 1-3 powers necessary to conduct hearings. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Section 158.009, Local Government Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Subsections (d), (e), and (f) to read as 1-7 follows: 1-8 (d) The commission may: 1-9 (1) conduct examinations and investigations and hear 1-10 testimony and accept evidence under oath at a public or private 1-11 hearing on a matter material to the commission's authority to 1-12 select county employees or decide disciplinary grievances, 1-13 termination actions, or any other matter relating to substantive 1-14 rights, advancement, benefits, and working conditions of county 1-15 employees; and 1-16 (2) make a final decision on a matter considered in 1-17 the hearing. 1-18 (e) One or more members of the commission may administer 1-19 oaths, issue a subpoena requiring the attendance of a witness or 1-20 the production of books and papers, and issue a commission for the 1-21 examination of a witness who is outside the state, unable to attend 1-22 a hearing, or excused from attendance. 1-23 (f) If a person fails to comply with a subpoena or 1-24 commission issued under this section, the county civil service 2-1 commission may bring suit to enforce the subpoena or commission in 2-2 a district court of the county in which the witness resides or the 2-3 county in which the books and papers are located. A court that 2-4 determines that good cause exists for the issuance of the subpoena 2-5 or commission shall order compliance with the subpoena or 2-6 commission. The court may hold in contempt a person who does not 2-7 obey the order. 2-8 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 2-9 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-10 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-11 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-12 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-13 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-14 passage, and it is so enacted.