By Hunter of Taylor                                   H.B. No. 1049
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  Relating to an alternative selection system for filling beginning
    1-3  positions in police departments.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Section 143.025, Texas Local Government Code, is
    1-6  amended by adding Subsection 143.0251 to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 143.0251.  ALTERNATE SELECTION SYSTEM FOR FILLING
    1-8  BEGINNING POSITIONS IN THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.  (a)  On the
    1-9  recommendation of the head of the police department and a majority
   1-10  vote of the Civil Service Commission, the Commission may adopt an
   1-11  alternate selection system for the selection of persons to fill
   1-12  beginning positions within the police department.
   1-13        (b)  Except as provided by this section, applicants for
   1-14  beginning positions shall meet the requirements established in
   1-15  Sections 143.021, 143.022, 143.023, 143.024 of the Texas Local
   1-16  Government Code, Chapter 143.
   1-17        (c)  The alternate selection system for filling beginning
   1-18  positions in the police department must comply with the
   1-19  requirements prescribed in this section.
   1-20        (d)  An eligibility list for a beginning position in the
   1-21  police department may be created as a result of evaluating and
   1-22  scoring applicants in a combination of job related processes,
   1-23  dimensions, or exercises.  A department that adopts the alternate
    2-1  selection system will specify in writing, information about the
    2-2  development, job relatedness, administration, scoring, and
    2-3  interpretation of all elements used to determine placement on the
    2-4  eligibility list.  Graded dimensions may include written exams,
    2-5  oral interviews, physical assessments, education, military service,
    2-6  and other dimensions as determined by the hiring agency to ensure
    2-7  that candidates are evaluated by a selection process that measures
    2-8  traits or characteristics that are a significant part of the job.
    2-9        (e)  At any time after an alternative selection system has
   2-10  been adopted under this section and has been in effect for at least
   2-11  180 days, the department head may petition the commission to
   2-12  terminate the alternative system and the commission shall
   2-13  terminated the alternative system.
   2-14        (f)  An existing eligibility list, whether created under
   2-15  Section 143.025 or created under an alternative system adopted by
   2-16  this section may not be terminated before or extended beyond its
   2-17  expiration date.
   2-18        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   2-19  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-20  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-21  constitutional rule requiring that bills be read on three several
   2-22  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
   2-23  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after it
   2-24  passage, and it is so enacted.