By Junell H.B. No. 1385 75R6051 CAG-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to restrictions on spending by state agencies for certain 1-3 employee benefits, fees, or membership dues. 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 Chapters 667 and 668 to read as follows: 1-7 CHAPTER 667. TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES 1-8 Sec. 667.001. DEFINITIONS. In this section: 1-9 (1) "State agency" and "state employee" have the 1-10 meanings assigned by Section 572.002. 1-11 (2) "Training" means instruction, teaching, or other 1-12 education received by a state employee that is not normally 1-13 received by other state employees and that is designed to enhance 1-14 the ability of the employee to perform the employee's job. The term 1-15 does not include training required either by state or federal law 1-16 or that is determined necessary by the agency and offered to all 1-17 employees of the agency performing similar jobs. 1-18 Sec. 667.002. AGENCY POLICY. Before a state agency spends 1-19 any money on training for a state employee, the state agency must 1-20 adopt a policy governing the training of employees. The policy 1-21 must require training to relate to an employee's duties following 1-22 the training. 1-23 Sec. 667.003. RESTRICTIONS. If a state employee receives 1-24 training paid for by a state agency, and during the training period 2-1 the employee does not perform the employee's regular duties for 2-2 three or more months as a result of the training, a policy adopted 2-3 under Section 667.002 must include a requirement that the employee: 2-4 (1) work for the agency for at least one month for 2-5 each month of the training period; or 2-6 (2) pay the agency for all the costs associated with 2-7 the training, including the amount of the employee's salary, if 2-8 any, paid during the training period. 2-9 CHAPTER 668. MEMBERSHIP DUES OR FEES 2-10 Sec. 668.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter, "state agency" 2-11 and "state employee" have the meanings assigned by Section 572.002. 2-12 Sec. 668.002. RESTRICTIONS ON MEMBERSHIP DUES OR FEES. A 2-13 state agency may not pay fees or membership dues to an organization 2-14 on behalf of the agency or a state employee of the agency if the 2-15 organization pays all or part of the salary of a person required to 2-16 register under Chapter 305. 2-17 SECTION 2. (a) This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 2-18 (b) Not later than September 15, 1997, each state agency 2-19 shall adopt a policy relating to the payment of training expenses 2-20 of state employees as required under Chapter 667, Government Code, 2-21 as added by this Act. 2-22 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-23 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-24 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-25 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-26 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.