By Moreno of Harris                                   H.B. No. 2502
         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to group and class action grievances for fire fighters and
 1-3     police officers of covered fire and police departments.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter G, Local Government Code, is amended
 1-6     by adding Section 143.135 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 143.135.  GROUP AND CLASS ACTION GRIEVANCES.  (a)  Fire
 1-8     fighters and police officers sharing common concerns may file group
 1-9     grievances over any matter grievable under Section 143.127.  A
1-10     group grievance filed by employees shall be handled in the same
1-11     manner as an individual grievance.
1-12           (b)  A fire fighters' association which represents a majority
1-13     of the paid fire fighters in the municipality may file a group or
1-14     class action grievance on behalf of affected fire fighters
1-15     concerning any matter grievable under Section 143.127.  In such
1-16     grievances, a representative designated by the fire fighters'
1-17     association shall act as the grievant.  The grievance shall be
1-18     processed in the same manner as individual grievances, except that
1-19     the grievance shall be initiated at Step II.  In all such
1-20     grievances, the fire fighters' association shall, to the extent it
1-21     is able, identify all fire fighters affected by the issues raised
 2-1     in the grievance.  The department head, grievance examiner, or
 2-2     civil service commission is authorized to provide appropriate
 2-3     relief, including back pay, benefits, and attorney fees, to all
 2-4     fire fighters adversely affected by the issues raised in the
 2-5     grievance,  whether such fire fighters have been identified by the
 2-6     fire fighters' association or not.
 2-7           (c)  A fire fighters' association which represents a majority
 2-8     of the paid fire fighters in a municipality may also file group or
 2-9     class action grievances concerning alleged violations of any
2-10     written agreement made under Subchapter H.
2-11           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-12           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-13     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-14     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-15     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-16     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-17     and that this Act take effect and be in force according to its
2-18     terms, and it is so enacted.