Amend HB 866 (Senate committee printing) in SECTION 1 of the 
bill as follows:
	(1)  In added Subdivision (2), Section 147.002, Local 
Government Code, strike added Paragraph (A) (page 1, lines 28 
through 30), and substitute the following:
			(A)  in which firefighters of the municipality 
have participated and paid dues via automatic payroll deduction for 
at least one year; and
	(2)  In added Subdivision (4), Section 147.002, Local 
Government Code, strike added Paragraph (A) (page 1, lines 42 
through 44), and substitute the following:
			(A)  in which at least three percent of the police 
officers of the municipality have participated and paid dues via 
automatic payroll deduction for at least one year; and
	(3)  Immediately following added Section 147.003, Local 
Government Code (page 2, between lines 15 and 16), insert the 
following:
	Sec. 147.0031.  PETITION FOR RECOGNITION:  ELECTION OR 
ACTION BY GOVERNING BODY.  (a) Not later than the 30th day after the 
date the governing body of a municipality receives from the meet and 
confer team a petition signed by a majority of all police officers 
and a majority of all firefighters, excluding the head of the police 
department, the head of the fire department, and other excluded 
employees as described by Section 147.0035(b), that requests 
recognition of the meet and confer team as the sole and exclusive 
bargaining agent for all the police officers and firefighters 
employed by the municipality, excluding the head of the police 
department, the head of the fire department, and other excluded 
employees as described by Section 147.0035(b), the governing body 
shall:
		(1)  grant recognition of the meet and confer team as 
requested in the petition and determine by majority vote that the 
municipality may meet and confer under this chapter without 
conducting an election by the voters in the municipality under 
Section 147.0033;
		(2)  defer granting recognition of the meet and confer 
team and order an election by the voters in the municipality under 
Section 147.0033 regarding whether the municipality may meet and 
confer under this chapter;  or
		(3)  order a certification election under Section 
147.0032 to determine whether the employee groups in the meet and 
confer team represent a majority of the covered police officers and 
a majority of the covered firefighters.
	(b)  If the governing body of a municipality orders a 
certification election under Subsection (a)(3) and the employee 
groups that are part of the meet and confer team are certified to 
represent a majority of the covered police officers and a majority 
of the covered firefighters, the governing body shall, not later 
than the 30th day after the date that results of that election are 
certified:
		(1)  grant recognition of the meet and confer team as 
requested in the petition for recognition and determine by majority 
vote that the municipality may meet and confer under this chapter 
without conducting an election by the voters in the municipality 
under Section 147.0033;  or
		(2)  defer granting recognition of the meet and confer 
team and order an election by the voters in the municipality under 
Section 147.0033 regarding whether a public employer may meet and 
confer under this chapter.
	Sec. 147.0032.  CERTIFICATION ELECTION.  (a) Except as 
provided by Subsection (b), a certification election ordered under 
Section 147.0031(a)(3) to determine whether the employee groups in 
the meet and confer team represent a majority of the covered police 
officers and a majority of the covered firefighters shall be 
conducted according to procedures agreeable to the parties.
	(b)  If the parties are unable to agree on procedures for the 
certification election, either party may request the American 
Arbitration Association to conduct the election and to certify the 
results of the election.
	(c)  Certification of the results of an election under this 
section resolves the question concerning representation.
	(d)  Each employee group in the meet and confer team is  
liable for the expenses of the certification election for the 
employees the group represents.
	Sec. 147.0033.  ELECTION TO AUTHORIZE OPERATING UNDER THIS 
CHAPTER.  (a) The governing body of a municipality that receives a 
petition for recognition under Section 147.0031 may order an 
election to determine whether a public employer may meet and confer 
under this chapter.
	(b)  An election ordered under this section must be held as 
part of the next regularly scheduled general election for municipal 
officials that is held after the date the governing body of the 
municipality orders the election and that allows sufficient time to 
prepare the ballot in compliance with other requirements of law.
	(c)  The ballot for an election ordered under this section 
shall be printed to permit voting for or against the proposition:  
"Authorizing __________ (name of the municipality) to operate under 
the state law allowing a municipality to meet and confer and make 
agreements with the meet and confer team representing municipal 
police officers and firefighters as provided by state law, 
preserving the prohibition against strikes and organized work 
stoppages, and providing penalties for strikes and organized work 
stoppages."
	(d)  An election called under this section must be held and 
the returns prepared and canvassed in conformity with the Election 
Code.
	(e)  If an election authorized under this section is held, 
the municipality may operate under the other provisions of this 
chapter only if a majority of the votes cast at the election favor 
the proposition.
	(f)  If an election authorized under this section is held, a 
meet and confer team may not submit a petition for recognition to 
the governing body of the municipality under Section 147.0031 
before the second anniversary of the date of the election.
	Sec. 147.0034.  WITHDRAWAL OF RECOGNITION.  (a) The police 
officers and firefighters may withdraw the recognition of the meet 
and confer team granted under this chapter by filing with the 
governing body of the municipality a petition signed by a majority 
of all covered police officers and a majority of all covered 
firefighters.
	(b)  The governing body of the municipality may:                        
		(1)  withdraw recognition as provided by the petition;  
or           
		(2)  order a certification election in accordance with 
Section 147.0032 regarding whether to do so.
	Sec. 147.0035.  RECOGNITION OF MEET AND CONFER TEAM.  (a) A 
public employer in a municipality that chooses to meet and confer 
under this chapter shall recognize the meet and confer team that is 
recognized under Section 147.0031 or 147.0033 as the sole and 
exclusive bargaining agent for the police officers and 
firefighters, excluding the head of the police department, head of 
the fire department, and the employees exempt under Subsection (b), 
in accordance with this chapter and the petition.
	(b)  For the purposes of Subsection (a), exempt employees are 
employees appointed by the head of the police department or fire 
department in the classification immediately below that of 
department head or that are exempt by the mutual agreement of the 
meet and confer team and the municipality.
	(c)  The municipality shall recognize the meet and confer 
team until recognition of the meet and confer team is withdrawn in 
accordance with Section 147.0034 by a majority of the police 
officers and a majority of the firefighters who are eligible to sign 
a petition for recognition.
	(4)  In added Subsection (a), Section 147.004, Local 
Government Code (page 2 lines 20 and 21), between "meet and confer 
team" and "come to a mutual agreement", insert "recognized under 
Section 147.0031 or 147.0033 as the sole and exclusive bargaining 
agent for the covered police officers and firefighters".
	(5)  Strike added Subsection (b), Section 147.006, Local 
Government Code (page 2, lines 56 through 58).
	(6)  In added Subsection (c), Section 147.006, Local 
Government Code (page 2, line 59), strike "(c)" and substitute 
"(b)".
	(7)  Immediately following added Section 147.008, Local 
Government Code (page 3, between lines 26 and 27), insert the 
following:
	Sec. 147.009.  ACTION OR ELECTION TO REPEAL AUTHORIZATION TO 
OPERATE UNDER THIS CHAPTER.  (a) The governing body of a 
municipality that granted recognition of a meet and confer team 
under Section 147.0031 without conducting an election under Section 
147.0033 may withdraw recognition of the meet and confer team by 
providing to the meet and confer team not less than 90 days' written 
notice that:
		(1)  the governing body is withdrawing recognition of 
the meet and confer team;  and
		(2)  any agreement between the governing body and the 
meet and confer team will not be renewed.
	(b)  The governing body of a municipality that granted 
recognition of a meet and confer team after conducting an election 
under Section 147.0033 may order an election to determine whether a 
public employer may continue to meet and confer under this chapter.  
The governing body may not order an election under this subsection 
until the second anniversary of the date of the election under 
Section 147.0033.
	(c)  An election ordered under Subsection (b) must be held as 
part of the next regularly scheduled general election for municipal 
officers that occurs after the date the governing body of the 
municipality orders the election and that allows sufficient time to 
prepare the ballot in compliance with other requirements of law.
	(d)  The ballot for an election ordered under Subsection (b) 
shall be printed to allow voting for or against the proposition:  
"Authorizing __________ (name of the municipality) to continue to 
operate under the state law allowing a municipality to meet and 
confer and make agreements with the meet and confer team 
representing municipal police officers and firefighters as 
provided by state law, preserving the prohibition against strikes 
and organized work stoppages, and providing penalties for strikes 
and organized work stoppages."
	(e)  An election ordered under Subsection (b) must be held 
and the returns prepared and canvassed in conformity with the 
Election Code.
	(f)  If an election ordered under Subsection (b) is held, the 
municipality may continue to operate under this chapter only if a 
majority of the votes cast at the election favor the proposition.
	(g)  If an election ordered under Subsection (b) is held, a 
meet and confer team may not submit a petition for recognition to 
the governing body of the municipality under Section 147.0031 
before the second anniversary of the date of the election.
	Sec. 147.010.  ELECTION TO REPEAL AGREEMENT.  (a) Not later 
than the 60th day after the date a meet and confer agreement is 
ratified by the governing body of the municipality and the 
firefighters and police officers under 147.008, a petition calling 
for the repeal of the agreement signed by a number of registered 
voters residing in the municipality equal to at least 10 percent of 
the votes cast at the most recent general election held in the 
municipality may be presented to the person charged with ordering 
an election under Section 3.004, Election Code.
	(b)  If a petition is presented under Subsection (a), the 
governing body of the municipality shall:
		(1)  repeal the meet and confer agreement;  or                         
		(2)  certify that the governing body is not repealing 
the agreement and call an election to determine whether to repeal 
the agreement.
	(c)  An election called under Subsection (b)(2) may be held 
as part of the next regularly scheduled general election for the 
municipality.  The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for 
or against the proposition:  "Repeal the meet and confer agreement 
ratified on __________ (date agreement was ratified) by the (name 
of the governing body of the municipality) and the police officers 
and firefighters employed by the City of __________ (name of 
municipality) concerning wages, salaries, rates of pay, hours of 
work, and other terms of employment."
	(d)  If a majority of the votes cast at the election favor the 
repeal of the agreement, the agreement is void.
	Sec. 147.010.  EFFECT ON EXISTING BENEFITS AND RIGHTS.  (a) 
This chapter may not be construed to repeal any existing benefit 
provided by statute or ordinance concerning police officers' or 
firefighters' compensation, pensions, retirement plans, hours of 
work, conditions of employment, or other emoluments except as 
expressly provided in a ratified meet and confer agreement.  This 
chapter is in addition to the benefits provided by existing 
statutes and ordinances.
	(b)  This chapter may not be construed to interfere with the 
free speech right, guaranteed by the First Amendment to the United 
States Constitution, of an individual firefighter or a police 
officer to endorse or dissent from any agreement.