79R3801 KSD-D

By:  Wentworth                                                    S.B. No. 1453



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the recognition of certain officers as separate 
collective bargaining units in certain counties that have adopted 
The Fire and Police Employee Relations Act.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 174, Local Government 
Code, is amended by adding Section 174.1025 to read as follows:
	Sec. 174.1025.  RECOGNITION OF CERTAIN OFFICERS AS SEPARATE 
BARGAINING UNITS IN CERTAIN COUNTIES.  (a)  This section applies 
only to a county with a population of one million or more that 
adopted this chapter after January 1, 2004, and in which the 
sheriff's department has created a civil service system under 
Subchapter B, Chapter 158.
	(b)  The commissioners court or other applicable public 
employer of a county to which this section applies may recognize as 
separate collective bargaining units:
		(1)  peace officers employed by the sheriff's 
department of the county in positions funded by the law enforcement 
budget of the sheriff's department; and
		(2)  officers employed by the sheriff's department of 
the county in positions that are not funded by the law enforcement 
budget of the sheriff's department.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this 
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 
Act takes effect September 1, 2005.