SRC-AMY, JLB C.S.S.B. 189 78(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 189
78R6004 AKH-DBy: Carona
Intergovernmental Relations
2/19/2003
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, Sections 152.014 - 152.016 of the Local Government Code require
a county commissioners court to appoint a nine-member salary grievance
committee in January of each year. Members of the committee are appointed
to serve for the calendar year and to hear salary appeals by elected
county officials. However, the county budget process is not  calendar-year
based and, in addition, grievances are rarely filed. C.S.S.B. 189 requires
the appointment of a salary grievance committee upon receipt of a salary
grievance and sets forth the terms and conditions under which the
committee meets. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
 
SECTION 1.  Amends Section 152.014(a), Local Government Code, to delete
January as the specified month when the commissioners court is to vote
regarding its salary grievance committee. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Sections 152.015(a) and (c), Local Government Code, as
follows: 

(a) Requires the public members of the salary grievance committee to be
selected at a meeting of the court not later than the 15th day after the
date a request for a hearing is received under Section 152.016(a).
Provides that if such a request is not received, the court is not required
to select public members. 

(c) Provides that a public member serves until the end of the fiscal year
in which the public member is appointed or when the committee takes a
final vote on the last of the grievances for which the committee held a
public hearing, whichever is later. 

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 152.016, Local Government Code, by amending
Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) as follows: 

(b) Requires the committee to hold a public hearing not later than the
later of the 10th day after the date the request is received or the date
the commissioners court selects the public members of the committee. 

 (b-1) Creates this subsection from existing text.

SECTION 4. Effective date: January 1, 2004.  
                      Makes application of this Act prospective.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

 SECTION 1.  No change from original.

SECTION 2.  Differs from S.B. 189 as filed, by adding an alternative
expiration date for a public member's term on the salary grievance
committee, with the later date taking precedence. 

SECTION 3.  No change from original.