By Hightower H.B. No. 1427 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the possession and use of tobacco products by employees 1-3 of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 494, Government Code, is amended by 1-6 adding Section 494.010 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 494.010. EMPLOYEES' POSSESSION AND USE OF TOBACCO 1-8 PRODUCTS. A rule adopted by the board that regulates the 1-9 possession and use of tobacco products by department employees must 1-10 provide that employees of the department are permitted to use 1-11 tobacco products during work hours at times and locations 1-12 designated by the board. In designating locations at which the 1-13 use of tobacco products is permitted, the board shall designate 1-14 locations that: 1-15 (1) are at a sufficient distance from a place at which 1-16 employees regularly perform duties to ensure that no employee who 1-17 abstains from the use of tobacco products is physically affected by 1-18 the use of tobacco products at the location; and 1-19 (2) do not negatively affect the comfort or safety of 1-20 any employee or inmate. 1-21 SECTION 2. The Texas Board of Criminal Justice, not later 1-22 than the 90th day after the effective date of this Act, must amend 1-23 any rule of the department regulating the possession and use of 1-24 tobacco products of department employees as necessary to comply 2-1 with the provisions of Section 494.010, Government Code, as added 2-2 by this Act. 2-3 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-4 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-5 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-6 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-7 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-8 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-9 passage, and it is so enacted.