By:  Cain                                              S.B. No. 568
         99S0307/1                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                       AN ACT
 1-1     relating to municipal payroll deductions.
 1-2           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-3           SECTION 1.  Section 141.008, Local Government Code, is
 1-4     amended to read as follows:
 1-5           Sec. 141.008.  PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS IN CERTAIN MUNICIPALITIES.
 1-6     (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b), the [The] governing body
 1-7     of a municipality with a population of more than 10,000 may deduct
 1-8     from a municipal employee's monthly salary or wages an amount
 1-9     requested in writing by the employee in payment of membership dues
1-10     to a bona fide employees' association that is named by the employee
1-11     and that does not claim the right to strike.
1-12           (b)  The governing body of a municipality with a population
1-13     of more than 50,000 shall make the payroll deduction described by
1-14     Subsection (a) if requested in writing by the employee and if the
1-15     municipality permits deductions other than deductions for charity,
1-16     health insurance, or taxes or other deductions required by law.
1-17           (c)  The deductions permitted by this section may be
1-18     terminated after one year by the governing body of a municipality
1-19     if, at an election ordered by the governing body, the qualified
1-20     voters of the municipality approve the termination of the
1-21     deductions.
1-22           (d)  Participation in the payroll deduction program by a
1-23     municipal employee who is on active full-time duty is voluntary.
1-24           (e) [(c)]  An employee's written request must:
 2-1                 (1)  be set out in a form prescribed and provided by
 2-2     the municipal treasurer or comptroller;
 2-3                 (2)  state the amount to be deducted each month; and
 2-4                 (3)  direct the municipal treasurer or comptroller to
 2-5     transfer the deducted funds to the designated employees'
 2-6     association.
 2-7           (f) [(d)]  The amount deducted each month may not exceed the
 2-8     amount stated in the written request.  However, the governing body
 2-9     of a municipality having a program under this section may impose
2-10     and collect an administrative fee from each participating employee
2-11     in addition to the membership dues that are withheld.  The fee must
2-12     be a reasonable amount to reimburse the municipality for the
2-13     administrative costs of collecting, accounting for, and disbursing
2-14     the membership dues.
2-15           (g) [(e)]  A request under this section remains in effect
2-16     until the municipal treasurer or comptroller receives a written
2-17     notice of revocation in a form prescribed and provided by the
2-18     treasurer or comptroller and filed by the employee.
2-19           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-20           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-21     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-22     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-23     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-24     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.