1-1     By:  Duncan                                            S.B. No. 799
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed February 20, 2001; February 21, 2001,
 1-3     read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs;
 1-4     March 14, 2001, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
 1-5     Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 7, Nays 1; March 14, 2001,
 1-6     sent to printer.)
 1-7     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 799                 By:  Gallegos
 1-8                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-9                                   AN ACT
1-10     relating to requiring state agencies to perform exit interviews
1-11     with employees.
1-12           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-13           SECTION 1.  Chapter 651, Government Code, is amended by
1-14     adding Section 651.007 to read as follows:
1-15           Sec. 651.007.  EXIT INTERVIEWS.  (a)  In this section, "state
1-16     agency" means a board, commission, council, committee, department,
1-17     office, agency, or other governmental entity in the executive,
1-18     legislative, or judicial branch of state government.  The term does
1-19     not include an institution of higher education as defined by
1-20     Section 61.003, Education Code.
1-21           (b)  Each state agency shall conduct an exit interview with
1-22     an employee who leaves employment with the agency.  The state
1-23     agency shall conduct the exit interview by having the employee
1-24     access the questionnaire posted on the state auditor's Internet
1-25     site and electronically submit the completed questionnaire to the
1-26     state auditor.
1-27           (c)  The state agency shall conduct the exit interview in a
1-28     manner that allows the employee alone to describe the employee's
1-29     reason for leaving employment.  The state agency may not alter the
1-30     description stated by the employee.
1-31           (d)  The state auditor shall develop the exit interview
1-32     questionnaire.  In developing the questionnaire under this
1-33     subsection, the state auditor shall consult with the comptroller
1-34     and representatives designated by the comptroller from small,
1-35     medium, and large state agencies.
1-36           (e)  Not later than the 15th day following the end of the
1-37     calendar quarter, the state auditor shall submit a report to each
1-38     state agency containing the responses to the exit interview
1-39     questionnaire submitted by each former employee of the agency
1-40     during the preceding quarter.
1-41           (f)  The state auditor may audit each state agency's records
1-42     to determine whether the agency is complying with the requirements
1-43     of this section.
1-44           (g)  Not later than December 15 of each year before a regular
1-45     session of the legislature, the state auditor shall submit a report
1-46     summarizing the findings of the exit interviews to the governor,
1-47     lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and
1-48     members of the Senate Committee on Finance and House Committee on
1-49     Appropriations.
1-50           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
1-51                                  * * * * *