1-1     By:  Cain                                              S.B. No. 823

 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed February 27, 1997; March 4, 1997, read

 1-3     first time and referred to Committee on Intergovernmental

 1-4     Relations; March 20, 1997, reported favorably by the following

 1-5     vote:  Yeas 11, Nays 0; March 20, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-7                                   AN ACT

 1-8     relating to payroll deductions in certain municipalities.

 1-9           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-10           SECTION 1.  Section 141.008, Local Government Code, is

1-11     amended to read as follows:

1-12           Sec. 141.008.  Payroll Deductions in Certain Municipalities.

1-13     (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b), the [The] governing body

1-14     of a municipality with a population of more than 10,000 may deduct

1-15     from a municipal employee's monthly salary or wages an amount

1-16     requested in writing by the employee in payment of membership dues

1-17     to a bona fide employees' association named by the employee.

1-18           (b)  The governing body of a municipality with a population

1-19     of more than 50,000 shall make the payroll deduction described by

1-20     Subsection (a) if requested in writing by the employee and if the

1-21     municipality permits deductions for purposes other than charitable

1-22     donation, retirement plan contribution, deferred compensation,

1-23     insurance or tax payment, or garnishment.

1-24           (c)  Participation in the payroll deduction program by a

1-25     municipal employee who is on active full-time duty is voluntary.

1-26           (d) [(c)]  An employee's written request must:

1-27                 (1)  be set out in a form prescribed and provided by

1-28     the municipal treasurer or comptroller;

1-29                 (2)  state the amount to be deducted each month; and

1-30                 (3)  direct the municipal treasurer or comptroller to

1-31     transfer the deducted funds to the designated employees'

1-32     association.

1-33           (e) [(d)]  The amount deducted each month may not exceed the

1-34     amount stated in the written request.  However, the governing body

1-35     of a municipality having a program under this section may impose

1-36     and collect an administrative fee from each participating employee

1-37     in addition to the membership dues that are withheld.  The fee must

1-38     be a reasonable amount to reimburse the municipality for the

1-39     administrative costs of collecting, accounting for, and disbursing

1-40     the membership dues.

1-41           (f) [(e)]  A request under this section remains in effect

1-42     until the municipal treasurer or comptroller receives a written

1-43     notice of revocation in a form prescribed and provided by the

1-44     treasurer or comptroller and filed by the employee.

1-45           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-46           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-47     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-48     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-49     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-50     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

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