HBA-KDB S.B. 557 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 557
By: Carona
Urban Affairs
5/18/2001
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, Dallas is the largest city in Texas not to adopt the provisions
relating to municipal civil service. As a result, public sector employment
practices are governed by municipal ordinance and regulations. Concerns
have been raised, particularly within the Dallas Police Department,
regarding the inequity of procedures for compensation of overtime and
compensatory time off. Under the current policy, some employees receive
financial compensation for their time, while others are required to alter
their schedules accordingly instead of receiving compensation. Senate Bill
557 authorizes a municipality to establish a system under which
compensation is paid or compensatory time off is allowed for overtime
worked by certain officers and employees of the municipality's police
department.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

Senate Bill 557 amends the Local Government Code to authorize a
municipality with a population of one million or more that has not adopted
the provisions for municipal civil service to establish a system under
which compensation is paid or compensatory time off is allowed for overtime
worked by a police officer who has a rank above the rank of captain and
whose appointment to the officer's current rank was not based at least in
part on the officer's performance on a competitive examination or overtime
worked by a civilian who receives a salary greater than the amount the
municipality pays a captain and whose appointment to the civilian's current
position was not based at least in part on the civilian's performance on a
competitive examination. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.