BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

                                                                                                                                           H.B. 1622

                                                                                                                                            By: Delisi

                                                                                                                                 Public Education

                                                                                                       Committee Report (Unamended)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

Currently, Texas school districts are not required to have a provision in their grievance policy that enables an employee to report certain grievances against a supervisor to a person other than the supervisor.  If the supervisor is alleged to have violated the law or unlawfully harassed the employee, the employee may be intimidated by the prospect of having to report the conduct to the alleged offender.

 

This bill provides that, in such circumstances, a school district grievance policy must permit the employee to report such grievances to a supervisor other than the one against whom the employee intends to report the grievance.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. 

 

ANALYSIS

 

The bill amends the Education Code to require a school district grievance policy to permit a district employee to report a grievance against a supervisor that alleges the supervisor's violation of the law in the workplace or the supervisor's unlawful harassment of the employee to a supervisor other than the supervisor against whom the employee intends to report the grievance.

 

EFFECTIVE DATE

 

September 1, 2007.