By: Raymond (Senate Sponsor - Zaffirini) H.B. No. 831

(In the Senate - Received from the House May 14, 2007; May 15, 2007, read first time and referred to Committee on Intergovernmental Relations; May 18, 2007, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 3, Nays 0; May 18, 2007, sent to printer.)

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the eligibility of certain counties to adopt a civil service system.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 158.001(3), Local Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(3) "Department" means a county, district, or precinct office or officer, agency, or board that has jurisdiction and control of the performance of employees' official duties. The term includes a sheriff's department.

SECTION 2. Section 158.002, Local Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 158.002. ELIGIBLE COUNTIES. A county with a population of 190,000 [200,000] or more may, in accordance with this subchapter, create a county civil service system to include all the employees of the county who are not exempted from the system by the express terms or judicial interpretations of this subchapter or by the operation of Subchapter B.

SECTION 3. Section 158.0025(a), Local Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) This section applies only to a county with a population of 190,000 [200,000] or more, other than:

(1) a county that has created a civil service system under this subchapter to include those employees of the county described by Section 158.002; or

(2) a county in which the sheriff's department is eligible to create a civil service system under Subchapter B.

SECTION 4. 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, 2007.

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