SRC-BWC C.S.S.B. 1066 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 1066
77R12915 MTB-DBy: Lucio
State Affairs
5-1-2001
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

C.S.S.B. 1066 seeks to enhance the effectiveness of the Texas Incentive and
Productivity Commission, specifically regarding the State Employee
Incentive Program (program).  The program rewards state employees for
suggestions that save money, generate revenue, improve services, increase
efficiency, and enhance the safety of state programs.  C.S.S.B. 1066 makes
enhancements to the program in order to increase its effectiveness and
generate savings for the state. 

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 Section 659.255, Government Code, by adding Subsection
(f) to provide that Subsection (e) (2) does not apply to a merit salary
increase granted under Chapter 2108B.   

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 659.261, Government Code, by adding Subsection
(f) to prohibit a merit salary increase granted under Chapter 2108B from
being considered in computing a maximum amount under this section.   

SECTION 3.  Amends Chapter 661Z, Government Code, by adding Section
661.915, as follows: 

Sec. 661.915.  STATE EMPLOYEE INCENTIVE PROGRAM.  Authorizes a state
employee to be granted leave, which cannot exceed 24 hours during a fiscal
year, without a deduction in salary as a reward for participating in the
state employee incentive program under Chapter 2108B.   

SECTION 4.  Amends Sections 2108.023(d) and (e), Government Code, to
provide that an employee is eligible for a bonus of 10 percent of the net
savings or revenue increases, not to exceed an award of $5,000, if the
employee's suggestion results in savings or increased revenues, including
savings or increased revenues that result from increased productivity, that
equal or exceed $500, rather than $100, after implementation costs.  Makes
a conforming change. 

SECTION 5.  Amends Section 2108.0236, Government Code, to require the Texas
Incentive and Productivity Commission (commission) to encourage state
employees to form groups to participate in the incentive program on a
temporary basis for the purpose of developing process improvements in a
state agency.  Makes a conforming change. 

SECTION 6.  Amends Section 2108.024, Government Code, to provide that each
state employee is eligible to participate in the incentive program except
an employee who is an elected or appointed official.  Provides that an
employee who is temporarily assigned by the employee's agency to a group
that is established for the purpose of developing process improvements in
that agency is not ineligible under certain subsections to participate in
the incentive program solely because of the employee's  participation in
that group.   

SECTION 7.  Amends Section 2108.037, Government Code, by adding Subsection
(c) to authorize the affected agency to transfer savings attributable to an
implemented suggestion from the first year of the fiscal biennium to the
second year of the fiscal biennium. 

SECTION 8.  Amends Section 2113.107(f), Government Code, to provide that
Subsection (e) does not apply to a publication designed to promote tourism
or economic development, a publication of the Texas School for the Deaf or
the Texas School for the Blind and Visually impaired, a publication of the
Texas Incentive and Productivity Commission, or a publication of an
institution of higher education. 

SECTION 9.  Effective date: September 1, 2001.
                      

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

SECTIONS 1 - 3.  No change.

SECTION 4.  Deletes proposed SECTION 4 and adds a new SECTION 4 that
changes from $100 to $500 the minimum necessary amount of net savings or
revenue increases achieved as a result of an employee's suggestion in order
for the employee to be eligible for a bonus of 10 percent. 

SECTION 5.  Amends new text added to proposed SECTION 5 regarding the
change in the amount of savings resulting from an employee's suggestion in
order for the employee to be eligible for a bonus. 

SECTION 6.  Deletes proposed SECTION 6 and adds a new SECTION 6 regarding
employees who are not eligible to participate in the incentive program. 

SECTION 7.  Deletes proposed SECTION 7 and adds a new SECTION 7 regarding
the transfer of savings from the first year of the fiscal biennium to the
second year of the fiscal biennium. 

SECTION 8.  Adds a new SECTION 8 providing that a certain subsection does
not apply to a publication of the Texas Incentive and Productivity
Commission. 

SECTION 9.  Renumbers proposed SECTION 8 as SECTION 9 and deletes the
proposed prospective clause.