By Maxey                                              H.B. No. 1925
       74R4914 MJW-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to establishment of the agency human resource center
    1-3  within the office of the governor.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Subtitle B, Title 6, Government Code, is amended
    1-6  by adding Chapter 666 to read as follows:
    1-7              CHAPTER 666.  AGENCY HUMAN RESOURCE CENTER
    1-8        Sec. 666.001.  DEFINITIONS.  In this chapter:
    1-9              (1)  "Center" means the agency human resource center.
   1-10              (2)  "State agency" has the meaning assigned by Section
   1-11  656.021.
   1-12        Sec. 666.002.  CENTER ESTABLISHED.  The agency human resource
   1-13  center is a division of the office of the governor.
   1-14        Sec. 666.003.  GENERAL POWERS AND DUTIES.  The center shall:
   1-15              (1)  assist state agencies by providing information and
   1-16  access to experts, and by developing model uniform policies and
   1-17  procedures, in matters relating to employee issues, including:
   1-18                    (A)  reductions in workforce;
   1-19                    (B)  unpaid leave, voluntary leave, and sick
   1-20  leave pools; and
   1-21                    (C)  development of employee programs, including
   1-22  work alternatives and employee assistance;
   1-23              (2)  refer state agency questions relating to personnel
   1-24  matters, including the interpretation of relevant statutes, to an
    2-1  appropriate state entity, including:
    2-2                    (A)  the comptroller's office, for payroll
    2-3  issues; and
    2-4                    (B)  the Employees Retirement System of Texas or
    2-5  Teacher Retirement System of Texas, as appropriate, for retirement
    2-6  issues; and
    2-7              (3)  expand training opportunities for state employees,
    2-8  coordinate agency training efforts, and facilitate, if appropriate,
    2-9  training partnerships between state agencies, educational
   2-10  facilities, and private businesses.
   2-11        Sec. 666.004.  INVESTIGATION OF COMPUTER-BASED TRAINING FOR
   2-12  STATE AGENCY EMPLOYEES.  (a)  The center shall investigate the
   2-13  fiscal implications of implementing computer-based training for
   2-14  state agency employees by:
   2-15              (1)  requesting information, bids, or proposals to
   2-16  provide computer-based training and consulting with the Council on
   2-17  Competitive Government in analyzing and evaluating the information,
   2-18  bids, or proposals; and
   2-19              (2)  conducting a survey of all state agencies to
   2-20  determine existing computer hardware and computer hardware needed
   2-21  for implementation of computer-based employee training.
   2-22        (b)  A state agency shall assist the center in the
   2-23  investigation required by this section by:
   2-24              (1)  providing the center a copy of any bid for
   2-25  implementation of employee computer-based training that the agency
   2-26  receives; and
   2-27              (2)  participating in the survey conducted by the
    3-1  center.
    3-2        Sec. 666.005.  PHASE-IN OF CENTER'S EMPLOYEE TRAINING DUTIES.
    3-3  (a)  In performing duties relating to state employee training under
    3-4  Section 666.003, the center shall:
    3-5              (1)  survey all state agencies regarding employee
    3-6  training needs during fiscal year 1996;
    3-7              (2)  coordinate state agency employee training efforts
    3-8  during fiscal year 1997; and
    3-9              (3)  facilitate state agency training partnerships and
   3-10  exchanges with educational facilities and private businesses during
   3-11  fiscal year 1998.
   3-12        (b)  This section expires August 31, 1998.
   3-13        Sec. 666.006.  EVALUATION OF CENTER.  (a)   Not later than
   3-14  September 1, 1997, representatives of the state auditor's office,
   3-15  comptroller's office, legislative budget office, Texas Employment
   3-16  Commission, and Commission on Human Rights shall prepare and submit
   3-17  a report that evaluates the performance of the center.  In
   3-18  preparing the report, agency representatives shall consult with
   3-19  state agency personnel offices and any professional associations
   3-20  that have knowledge of the center's performance.  Evaluation of the
   3-21  center's performance shall include consideration of the number of
   3-22  state agencies assisted and the percentage of those agencies that
   3-23  report satisfaction with the center's performance.
   3-24        (b)  The report required by Subsection (a) shall be filed
   3-25  with the:
   3-26              (1)  governor;
   3-27              (2)  lieutenant governor; and
    4-1              (3)  speaker of the house of representatives.
    4-2        (c)  This section expires September 2, 1997.
    4-3        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1995.
    4-4        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
    4-5  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    4-6  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    4-7  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    4-8  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.