SRC-CTC, JEC S.B. 961 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterS.B. 961
By: Moncrief
Intergovernmental Relations
6/20/2001
Enrolled


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, state employees are prohibited from receiving salary supplements
from any source. However, the state is experiencing an average turnover
rate of 26 percent, and in some areas as high as 45 percent, of caseworkers
with child protective services.  S.B. 961 authorizes counties or
municipalities to supplement the salaries of local child protective and
adult protective services caseworkers to retain the workers and encourage
them to remain in the profession. 

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 40B, Human Resources Code, by adding Section
40.0321, as follows: 

Sec. 40.0321.  SALARY SUPPLEMENTATION BY COUNTY OR MUNICIPALITY. (a)
Authorizes a county or municipality to supplement, from its own funds, the
salary of a Department of Protective and Regulatory Services (department)
employee whose duties include providing services as part of, or relating
to, the provision of child protective services and adult protective
services by the department.   

(b) Provides that a department employee who has worked in the same position
for the department in a different region is not eligible for a salary
supplement under Subsection (a) for a minimum of six months after assuming
the position in the new region.   

(c) Provides that Section 659.020 (Salary Supplementation), Government
Code, does not apply to the supplement authorized by this section. 

(d) Prohibits the department from requiring a salary supplement as a
condition for creating or maintaining a position in the region. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 2001.