HBA-DMD H.B. 2377 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2377
By: Burnam
State Affairs
3/30/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

When the minimum wage is low, the burden of the working poor on public
assistance programs increases. Some state employees who work full-time
still rely on public assistance to make ends meet. H.B. 2377 requires a
state or local governmental entity (entity) to pay to a public employee a
wage that is no less than the minimum hourly wage described by this bill or
the federal minimum hourly wage, whichever rate is greater. This bill
requires an entity to pay a public employee a minimum hourly wage that is
not less than the average weekly salary divided by 40, and sets forth the
process for calculating a minimum hourly wage. It also requires an entity
to adopt a salary schedule no later than October 1, 1999. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Subtitle A, Title 6, Government Code, by adding Chapter
618, as follows: 

CHAPTER 618. MINIMUM WAGE FOR PUBLIC EMPLOYEES

Sec. 618.001. DEFINITIONS. Defines "fair market rent," "fair market rent
area," and "local governmental entity" in this chapter. 

Sec. 618.002. EXEMPTION. Sets forth that this chapter does not apply to a
public employee whose salary is set by the Texas Constitution.  

Sec. 618.003. PAYMENT OF MINIMUM WAGE. Requires a state or local
governmental entity (entity) to pay to a public employee a wage that is no
less than the minimum hourly wage described by Section 618.004, or the
federal minimum hourly wage, whichever rate is greater. 

Sec. 618.004. CALCULATION OF MINIMUM WAGE. Requires an entity to pay a
public employee a minimum hourly wage that is not less than the average
weekly salary divided by 40. Sets forth the process for calculating a
minimum hourly wage. 

SECTION 2.  Requires an entity to adopt a salary schedule in accordance
with Chapter 618, Government Code, as added by this Act, no later than
October 1, 1999. Requires an entity to implement a salary schedule on the
first day of the entity's first fiscal year that begins after the effective
date of this Act. 

SECTION 3.Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.