By Mowery                                        H.B. No. 474

      75R2210 DRH-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to judicial review of certain local civil service

 1-3     commission decisions.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 158.012(b), Local Government Code, is

 1-6     amended to read as follows:

 1-7           (b)  An appeal under this section is under the substantial

 1-8     evidence rule [by trial de novo], and the judgment of the district

 1-9     court is appealable as  in other civil cases.

1-10           SECTION 2.  Section 158.037(b), Local Government Code, is

1-11     amended to read as follows:

1-12           (b)  An appeal under this section is under the substantial

1-13     evidence rule [by trial de novo], and the judgment of the district

1-14     court is appealable as in other civil cases.

1-15           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997, and

1-16     applies only to the scope of judicial review of a final decision of

1-17     a local civil service commission that becomes final on or after

1-18     that date.  The scope of judicial review of a final decision of a

1-19     local civil service commission that becomes final before that date

1-20     is governed by the law in effect on the date the decision becomes

1-21     final, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.

1-22           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-23     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-24     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-1     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-2     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.