78R6188 KSD-F

By:  Bailey                                                       H.B. No. 2370



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to collective bargaining by officials of the state or of a 
political subdivision of the state.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  The heading to Section 617.002, Government Code, 
is amended to read as follows:
	Sec. 617.002.  COLLECTIVE BARGAINING BY PUBLIC EMPLOYERS 
PROHIBITED; EXCEPTIONS.
	SECTION 2.  Section 617.002, Government Code, is amended by 
amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (d) and (e) to read 
as follows:
	(a)  Except as provided by Subsection (d), an [An] official 
of the state or of a political subdivision of the state may not 
enter into a collective bargaining contract with a labor 
organization regarding wages, hours, or conditions of employment of 
public employees.
	(d)  Subsections (a), (b), and (c) do not apply to:                     
		(1)  a meet and confer agreement described by 
Subsection (e); or     
		(2)  a collective bargaining or meet and confer process 
specifically authorized by other law.
	(e)  A written agreement to meet and confer between the 
governing body of a municipality with a population of 10,000 or more 
and a labor organization representing the majority of the peace 
officers employed by the municipality is binding and enforceable if 
the agreement is approved by a majority vote of the governing body 
and a majority of the peace officers affected by the agreement.  A 
written agreement ratified under this subsection supersedes a 
previous statute, ordinance, or rule concerning wages, salaries, 
rates of pay, hours of work, and other conditions of employment of 
the peace officers to the extent of any conflict.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.