SRC-JBJ H.B. 3185 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center H.B. 3185 77R12925 EBy: Turner, Bob (Whitmire) Criminal Justice 5/7/2001 Engrossed DIGEST AND PURPOSE Some factors that may contribute to the current corrections officer shortage in Texas are: low pay; officers' frustration with a pay schedules that top out after three years of employment; a complicated grievance process; and limited training opportunities. H.B. 3185 amends personnel policies regarding Texas corrections officers and establishes regular labor-management meetings. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 492, Government Code, by adding Section 492.015, as follows: Sec. 492.015. PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS AND LABOR OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. (a) Requires the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (department), in conjunction with the board's human resources committee or any committee created by the board to carry out the functions of the human resources committee, to review the implementation of and make necessary recommendations for rule and policy changes to certain matters and procedures. (b) Requires the department, in conjunction with the board's human resources committee or any committee created by the board to carry out the functions of the human resources committee, to submit a report biennially to the legislature that includes the matters considered under this section. SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 493, Government Code, by adding Section 493.0071, as follows: Sec. 493.0071. EMPLOYEE EXIT INTERVIEWS. (a) Requires the department to adopt a policy that provides for an exit interview of each institutional division employee who terminates employment with the department. Provides that employee participation in the interview process is voluntary, and that the department is not required to conduct an exit interview of an employee who is terminated against the employee's will. (b) Requires the department to encourage the employee to state in the employee's own words the reasons for which the employee is terminating employment. (c) Requires the department to analyze responses to interviews conducted under this section on the basis of the responding employees' age, gender, race or ethnicity, years of service, rank, and duty locations. SECTION 3. Amends Chapter 493, Government Code, by adding Section 493.026, as follows: Sec. 493.026. REPORT OF EMPLOYMENT-RELATED GRIEVANCES. (a) Defines "employment-related grievance." (b) Requires the department to submit annually to the board a report on the process used by the department to resolve employment-related grievances. Requires the report to include certain information. SECTION 4. Amends Chapter 494, Government Code, by adding Sections 494.014 and 494.015, as follows: Sec. 494.014. PERSONNEL. (a) Requires the department to develop a career ladder program for the institutional division to retain professionally qualified employees. Requires the program to base advancement on certain considerations. (b) Requires the department to promote a correctional officer candidate to the level of Texas Law Enforcement Correctional Officer on completion of the hours of training and the years of experience required by the department. (c) Requires the department to certain training programs and take certain actions. Sec. 494.015. MANAGEMENT-EMPLOYEE MEETINGS. (a) Requires the department to implement policies mandating bimonthly labor-management meetings between certain persons. (b) Requires both parties, at each bimonthly labor-management meeting, to have an opportunity to improve labor-management relations by addressing issues selected by the parties. (c) Requires a regional director, at the conclusion of each bimonthly meeting, to submit a report to the director of the institutional division describing the progress of the meetings. (d) Requires the director of the institutional division to conduct statewide meetings with employee representatives. SECTION 5. Requires the department to adopt an exit interview policy, as required by Section 493.0071, Government Code, as added by this Act, not later than October 1, 2001, and to offer each employee who terminates employment with the department on or after that date an opportunity to participate in the interview. SECTION 6. Requires all employees having met the experience qualification required under Section 494.014(b), Government Code, as added by this Act, on or before September 1, 2001, to automatically be certified as Texas Law Enforcement Correctional Officers. SECTION 7. Effective date: September 1, 2001.