By:  Armbrister                                       S.B. No. 1615
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to youth-related volunteer activity leave for state agency
 1-3     employees.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 661, Government Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 661.915 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 661.915.  LEAVE FOR YOUTH-RELATED VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES.
 1-8     (a)  In this section, "youth-related volunteer activity" means the
 1-9     voluntary provision of a service that primarily benefits low-income
1-10     children, including mentoring, tutoring, participation in
1-11     faith-based youth programs, and participation in children's
1-12     literacy programs.
1-13           (b)  The governor may authorize a state agency to grant a
1-14     state employee a leave of absence without a deduction in salary to
1-15     perform youth-related volunteer activities.  Leave without a
1-16     deduction in salary under this subsection may not exceed 52 hours
1-17     in a fiscal year.
1-18           (c)  Leave for youth-related volunteer activities is in
1-19     addition to vacation time and sick leave and is in addition to
1-20     other leave taken under this subchapter.
1-21           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.