By Duncan                                       S.B. No. 1624

      75R6932 MLS-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the use and management of the state employee sick leave

 1-3     pool.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 661.005, Government Code, is amended to

 1-6     read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 661.005.  WITHDRAWAL OF TIME FROM POOL.  (a)  An

 1-8     employee may apply to the pool administrator for permission to

 1-9     withdraw time from the sick leave pool.

1-10           (b)  If the employee is seeking permission to withdraw time

1-11     because of a catastrophic illness or injury, the employee must

1-12     provide the pool administrator with a written statement from the

1-13     licensed practitioner who is treating the employee or the

1-14     employee's immediate family member.  The statement must provide

1-15     sufficient information regarding the illness or injury to enable

1-16     the pool administrator to evaluate the employee's eligibility.

1-17           (c)  If the pool administrator determines that the employee

1-18     is eligible, the administrator shall:

1-19                 (1)  approve the transfer of time from the pool to the

1-20     employee; and

1-21                 (2)  credit the time to the employee.

1-22           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-23           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-24     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-1     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

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

 2-3     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.