SRC-JEC S.B. 1714 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 1714 77R6197 ATP-FBy: Van de Putte Intergovernmental Relations 4/19/2001 As Filed DIGEST AND PURPOSE Currently, it is difficult for peace officers and firefighters to participate in the legislative process because of leave procedures. As proposed, S.B. 1714 establishes a legislative leave time bank to allow peace officers and firefighters to participate in the legislative process. 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 614A, Government Code, by adding Section 614.011, as follows: Sec. 614.011. LEGISLATIVE LEAVE TIME BANK. (a) Authorizes a peace officer or firefighter to donate not more than one hour for each month of accumulated vacation or compensatory time in increments of one-quarter hour to the legislative leave time bank (time bank) of an employee organization. Requires the employer to establish and maintain a time bank for each employee organization. (b) Requires the peace officer or firefighter to authorize the donation in writing on a form provided by the employee organization and approved by the employer. Requires the employer, after receiving the signed authorization on an approved form, to transfer donated time to the time bank monthly until the employer receives the peace officer's or firefighter's written revocation of the authorization. (c) Authorizes only a peace officer or firefighter who is a member of an employee organization to use for legislative leave purposes the time donated to the time bank of that employee organization. Authorizes a peace officer or firefighter to use for legislative leave purposes the time donated under this section instead of reimbursing the employer under Section 614.005. (d) Requires a request to use for legislative leave purposes the time in an employee organization's time bank to be in writing and submitted to the employer by the appropriate officer of the employee organization. (e) Provides that a time bank authorized by this section is perpetual. Provides that unused time donated to a time bank carries over from year to year until used by the employee organization. (f) Requires the employer to account for the time donated to and used from the time bank. Authorizes the employer to determine and credit and debit the time bank by the donated time's actual cash value, or credit and debit a time bank on an hour-for-hour basis regardless of the cash value of the time donated or used. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2001.