By Lucio                                              S.B. No. 1519
         77R6659 DWS-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the executive director and engineering personnel of the
 1-3     Texas Department of Transportation.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Section 201.301(a), Transportation Code, is
 1-6     amended to read as follows:
 1-7           (a)  The commission shall elect an executive director for the
 1-8     department.  The director must be [a registered professional
 1-9     engineer in this state and] experienced and skilled in
1-10     transportation planning, development, construction, and
1-11     maintenance.
1-12           SECTION 2.  Subchapter F, Chapter 201, Transportation Code,
1-13     is amended by adding Section 201.407 to read as follows:
1-14           Sec. 201.407.  HIRING OF ENGINEERING PERSONNEL. The
1-15     department shall take necessary action to accelerate the employment
1-16     of necessary engineers and engineering technicians.  A law
1-17     requiring posting of job openings or competitive selection of job
1-18     applicants does not apply to those positions, regardless of the
1-19     salary applicable to the position.
1-20           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
1-21     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
1-22     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
1-23     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
1-24     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.