AN ACT
 1-1     relating to longevity pay for certain state employees.
 1-2           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-3           SECTION 1.  Section 659.043, Government Code, is amended to
 1-4     read as follows:
 1-5           Sec. 659.043.  ENTITLEMENT.  (a)  A state employee is
 1-6     entitled to longevity pay to be included in the employee's monthly
 1-7     compensation if the employee:
 1-8                 (1)  is a full-time state employee on the first workday
 1-9     of the month;
1-10                 (2)  is not on leave without pay on the first workday
1-11     of the month; and
1-12                 (3)  has accrued at least five years of lifetime
1-13     service credit not later than the last day of the preceding month.
1-14           (b)  Notwithstanding Subsection (a)(2), an employee of the
1-15     Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired or the Texas
1-16     School for the Deaf who is otherwise eligible for longevity pay is
1-17     entitled to longevity pay for each month that the employee is in a
1-18     full-time paid status on the first workday for which the school has
1-19     work scheduled for the employee.
1-20           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-21           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-22     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-23     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-24     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-1     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1354 passed the Senate on
         April 22, 1999, by a viva-voce vote; and that the Senate concurred
         in House amendment on May 27, 1999, by a viva-voce vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1354 passed the House, with
         amendment, on May 22, 1999, by a non-record vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
         Approved:
         _______________________________
                     Date
         _______________________________
                   Governor