By Chavez H.B. No. 2598 77R2069 MCK-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to establishing a telecommuting policy for state agencies. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 6, Government Code, is amended 1-5 by adding Chapter 669 to read as follows: 1-6 CHAPTER 669. TELECOMMUTING 1-7 Sec. 669.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: 1-8 (1) "State agency" means: 1-9 (A) any department, commission, board, office, 1-10 or other agency in the executive or legislative branch of state 1-11 government; 1-12 (B) the Supreme Court of Texas, the Court of 1-13 Criminal Appeals of Texas, a court of appeals, the Texas Civil 1-14 Judicial Council, the Office of Court Administration of the Texas 1-15 Judicial System, the State Bar of Texas, or another state judicial 1-16 agency; or 1-17 (C) a university system or an institution of 1-18 higher education as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code. 1-19 (2) "Telecommuting" means using telecommunications 1-20 technology to work from the employee's home or from an office near 1-21 the employee's home, rather than from the principal place of 1-22 employment. 1-23 Sec. 669.002. APPLICABILITY. This chapter applies only to a 1-24 state agency that has 50 or more employees. 2-1 Sec. 669.003. TELECOMMUTING POLICY. Each state agency shall 2-2 develop a telecommuting program not later than August 31, 2002. 2-3 Sec. 669.004. STATE ENERGY CONSERVATION OFFICE. The State 2-4 Energy Conservation Office shall adopt policies, procedures, and 2-5 guidelines for state agencies to use in developing telecommuting 2-6 programs. The State Energy Conservation Office shall develop 2-7 criteria for evaluating telecommuting programs. 2-8 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.