| TO: | Honorable Robert Talton, Chair, House Committee on Urban Affairs |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB2892 by Luna (Relating to conditions of employment for firefighters employed by certain municipalities.), As Introduced |
The bill would amend the Local Government Code to establish procedures in certain municipalities for establishing a meet and confer agreement between firefighters and the municipality. The bill would take effect September 1, 2005.
The procedures would include meetings between a firefighters association and the municipality, a possible certification election within the fire department regarding the association, and an election on a uniform election date in which the citizens of the municipality would vote on the proposal to allow the municipality to operate under the state law that authorizes a meet and confer agreement.
The municipality would incur the costs of an election held to consider the proposal of operating under a meet and confer agreement. Based on costs reported to the Secretary of State (SOS) in the summer of 2004 by a sampling of counties, municipalities, and special districts, the average cost incurred by a local government entity for an election is $1.29 per registered voter. The total election cost would vary by municipality, depending on the number of voters registered in each. If the election were to be held on the general election date, the municipality would experience an increase in costs that would not likely be significant (because the state pays the majority of the costs). If the election were to be held on a uniform election date other than the general election date, the municipality would incur the full costs associated with conducting the special election (pay to workers, fee for use of polling locations, publishing notice in newspapers, printing of ballots).
If an eligible municipality and firefighters association were to meet and confer, the costs to the municipality would be for staff and staff time. If an agreement is reached, the agreement itself would dictate any other fiscal impact.
| Source Agencies: |
| LBB Staff: | JOB, JB, DLBa
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