By Tillery                                            H.B. No. 2721
         76R8061 PAM-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to requirements for use of certain municipal employees on
 1-3     public works projects.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Chapter 150, Local Government Code, is amended by
 1-6     adding Subchapter C to read as follows:
 1-7         SUBCHAPTER C.  REQUIREMENTS FOR USE OF MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES
 1-8                          ON PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS
 1-9           Sec. 150.041.  REQUIREMENTS FOR USE OF CERTAIN MUNICIPAL
1-10     EMPLOYEES ON PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS.  (a)  In this section, "public
1-11     works project" means any project to acquire, construct, improve,
1-12     repair, or otherwise provide any buildings, structures, facilities,
1-13     equipment, or other real or personal property or improvements
1-14     designed for public use, protection, or enjoyment undertaken by a
1-15     municipality and paid for, in whole or in part, out of public
1-16     funds.
1-17           (b)  This section applies only to a municipality with a
1-18     population of 1.5 million or more.
1-19           (c)  A municipality may not permit a municipal employee to
1-20     provide services as an electrician on a public works project unless
1-21     the employee has completed a minimum of 8,000 hours and five years
1-22     of training in an electrician's apprenticeship program that:
1-23                 (1)  is registered with the Bureau of Apprenticeship
1-24     and Training of the United States Department of Labor; and
 2-1                 (2)  provides pension and health benefits under a
 2-2     collective bargaining agreement.
 2-3           SECTION 2.  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.