H.B. 769 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 769 By: Solis Law Enforcement Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE State employees who work state or federal holidays are entitled to compensatory time off during the 12 months after the holiday, but not if the holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday. In 2001, the 77th Legislature authorized Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers who often must work holidays such as Christmas and the Fourth of July to receive one hour of compensatory time for each hour worked on a state or federal holiday if the holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday. However, DPS employees who perform communications or dispatch services related to traffic law enforcement are not eligible to receive the same compensatory time off. House Bill 769 entitles a state employee who is employed by the DPS to perform communications or dispatch services related to traffic law enforcement to receive one hour of compensatory time for each hour worked on a state or federal holiday if the holiday falls on a Saturday or Sunday. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 769 amends Section 662.005(b), Government Code, by authorizing that, except as provided by Section 662.010 (no holiday pay for one who begins work the day after a holiday or leaves their position the day before a holiday), and notwithstanding Section 659.015 (subjecting overtime pay to Fair Labor Standards Act) or another law, a state employee who is employed by the Department of Public Safety to perform communications or dispatch services related to traffic law enforcement and who is required to work on a national or state holiday that falls on a Saturday or Sunday is entitled to compensatory time off at the rate of one hour for each hour worked on the holiday. EFFECTIVE DATE This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.