H.B. 2678 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 2678 By: Hartnett County Affairs Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Local Government Code establishes four conditions when a county employee may authorize payroll deductions: payments to a credit union; payments for membership in a labor union or employees' association; payments for parking fees; or payments to a charitable organization. Deductions for items such as a bus or mass transit pass or a fee for personal calls on a county cell phone are not available because they are not listed in the statute. House Bill 2678 amends the Local Government Code to allow a commissioners court to authorize a deduction requested by a county employee if the commissioners court determines that the payment serves a public purpose. 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 SECTION 1. Amends Section 155, Local Government Code, by creating a new Section, 155.001(a)(5) that gives a commissioners court the authority to authorize a payroll deduction from a county employee's wages or salary if the commissioners court determines the payment serves a public purpose. SECTION 2. Effective date. EFFECTIVE DATE This Act takes effect immediately if it secures a two-thirds vote of all members elected to each house. If the two-thirds vote is not received, then the effective date is September 1, 2003.