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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the sheriff's department civil service system in |
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certain counties; imposing a criminal penalty. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 158.034, Local Government Code, is |
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amended by amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsections |
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(a-1) and (a-2) to read as follows: |
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(a) In a county with a population of less than 2.8 million |
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other than a county to which Subsection (a-1) applies, if a majority |
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of the employees voting at the election approve the creation of a |
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sheriff's department civil service system, the sheriff, |
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commissioners court, and district attorney shall each appoint one |
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person to serve as a member of the civil service commission that |
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administers the system. |
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(a-1) In a county with a population of one million or more |
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that adopted Chapter 174 after January 1, 2004, the employee |
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organization representing the majority of sheriff department |
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employees shall appoint two persons to serve as members of the civil |
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service commission that administers the system in addition to the |
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appointments by the sheriff, commissioners court, and district |
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attorney. |
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(a-2) In a county with a population of 2.8 million or more |
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other than a county to which Subsection (a-1) applies, if a majority |
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of the employees voting at the election approve the creation of a |
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sheriff's department civil service system, the sheriff, |
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commissioners court, [and] district attorney, and employee |
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organization representing the majority of employees shall each |
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appoint two persons to serve as members of the civil service |
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commission that administers the system, and the [three] appointing |
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authorities shall appoint one member by joint action requiring the |
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affirmative vote of each of the authorities. |
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(c) Each member of the commission is appointed for a term of |
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two years. Each member shall serve not more than two terms. |
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However, the initial members of the commission in a county with a |
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population of less than 2.8 million that is covered by Subsection |
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(a) shall determine by lot which two of them will serve a term of two |
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years and which one of them will serve a term of one year. In a |
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county with a population of 2.8 million or more: |
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(1) the initial member appointed jointly under |
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Subsection (a) serves a term of two years; and |
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(2) the initial members appointed by each individual |
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appointing authority shall determine by lot which one of the two |
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initial members appointed by the appointing authority will serve a |
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term of two years and which initial member appointed by that |
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authority will serve a term of one year. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 158, Local Government Code, is amended |
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by adding Subchapter C to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER C. SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM IN CERTAIN |
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COUNTIES WITH POPULATION OF ONE MILLION OR MORE |
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Sec. 158.051. APPLICABILITY. (a) This subchapter applies |
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only to a county: |
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(1) with a population of one million or more that |
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adopted Chapter 174 after January 1, 2004; or |
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(2) with a population of 2.8 million or more. |
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(b) The definitions assigned by Subchapter B apply to this |
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subchapter. |
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Sec. 158.052. REMOVAL OF COMMISSION MEMBER. (a) If at a |
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meeting held for that purpose the commissioners court of the county |
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finds that a commission member is guilty of misconduct in office, |
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the commissioners court may remove the member. The member may |
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request that the meeting be held as an open hearing in accordance |
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with Chapter 551, Government Code. |
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(b) If a commission member is indicted or charged by |
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information with a criminal offense involving moral turpitude, the |
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member shall be automatically suspended from office until the |
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disposition of the charge. Unless the member pleads guilty or is |
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found to be guilty, the member shall resume office at the time of |
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disposition of the charge. |
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(c) The initial appointing authority under Section 158.034 |
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may appoint a substitute commission member during a period of |
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suspension. If a member pleads guilty to or is found to be guilty of |
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a criminal offense involving moral turpitude, the governing body |
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shall appoint a replacement commission member to serve the |
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remainder of the disqualified member's term of office. |
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Sec. 158.053. INTERNAL INVESTIGATION. (a) In this |
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section: |
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(1) "Complainant" means a person claiming to be the |
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victim of misconduct by an employee. |
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(2) "Investigation" means an administrative |
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investigation, conducted by the sheriff's department, of alleged |
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misconduct by an employee that could result in punitive action |
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against that person. |
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(3) "Investigator" means an agent or employee of the |
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sheriff's department who is assigned to conduct an investigation. |
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(4) "Normally assigned working hours" includes those |
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hours during which an employee is actually at work or at the |
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person's assigned place of work, but does not include any time when |
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the person is off duty on authorized leave, including sick leave. |
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(5) "Punitive action" means a disciplinary |
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suspension, termination, indefinite suspension, demotion in rank, |
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reprimand, or any combination of those actions. |
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(b) An investigator may interrogate an employee who is the |
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subject of an investigation only during the employee's normally |
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assigned working hours unless: |
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(1) the seriousness of the investigation, as |
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determined by the employee's department head or the department |
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head's designee, requires interrogation at another time; and |
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(2) the employee is compensated for the interrogation |
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time on an overtime basis. |
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(c) The department head may not consider work time missed |
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from regular duties by an employee due to participation in the |
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conduct of an investigation in determining whether to impose a |
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punitive action or in determining the severity of a punitive |
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action. |
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(d) An investigator may not interrogate an employee who is |
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the subject of an investigation or conduct any part of the |
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investigation at that person's home without that person's |
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permission. |
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(e) A person may not be assigned to conduct an investigation |
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if the person is the complainant, the ultimate decision-maker |
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regarding disciplinary action, or a person who has any personal |
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involvement regarding the alleged misconduct. An employee who is |
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the subject of an investigation has the right to inquire and, on |
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inquiry, to be informed of the identities of each investigator |
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participating in an interrogation of the employee. |
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(f) Before an investigator may interrogate an employee who |
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is the subject of an investigation, the investigator must inform |
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the employee in writing of the nature of the investigation and the |
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name of each person who complained about the employee concerning |
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the matters under investigation. An investigator may not |
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interrogate an employee based on a complaint by a complainant who |
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is not a peace officer unless the complainant verifies the |
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complaint in writing before a public officer who is authorized by |
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law to take statements under oath. In an investigation authorized |
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under this subsection, an investigator may interrogate an employee |
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about events or conduct reported by a witness who is not a |
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complainant without disclosing the name of the witness. Not later |
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than the 48th hour before the hour on which an investigator begins |
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to interrogate an employee regarding an allegation based on a |
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complaint, affidavit, or statement, the investigator shall give the |
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employee a copy of the affidavit, complaint, or statement. An |
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interrogation may be based on a complaint from an anonymous |
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complainant if the departmental employee receiving the anonymous |
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complaint certifies in writing, under oath, that the complaint was |
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anonymous. This subsection does not apply to an on-the-scene |
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investigation that occurs immediately after an incident being |
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investigated if the limitations of this subsection would |
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unreasonably hinder the essential purpose of the investigation or |
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interrogation. If the limitation would hinder the investigation or |
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interrogation, the employee under investigation must be furnished, |
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as soon as practicable, a written statement of the nature of the |
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investigation, the name of each complaining party, and the |
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complaint, affidavit, or statement. |
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(g) An interrogation session of an employee who is the |
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subject of an investigation may not be unreasonably long. In |
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determining reasonableness, the gravity and complexity of the |
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investigation must be considered. The investigators shall allow |
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reasonable interruptions to permit the employee to attend to |
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personal physical necessities. |
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(h) In an investigation or interrogation conducted under |
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this section in which an employee is to be interviewed concerning an |
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alleged act which, if proven, may result in any punitive action, the |
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employee under investigation shall be afforded a reasonable |
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opportunity and facilities to contact and consult privately with an |
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attorney or a representative from the employee organization |
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representing the majority of sheriff department employees before |
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being interviewed. The attorney or representative may be present |
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during the interview. An attorney or representative may not be a |
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person who is related to the respondent, within the third degree by |
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consanguinity or the second degree by affinity, or an employee |
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involved in the incident being investigated. At any time during the |
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interview the employee under investigation may request to consult |
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with the attorney or representative in private before continuing |
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the interview. |
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(i) An investigator may not threaten an employee who is the |
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subject of an investigation with punitive action during an |
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interrogation. However, an investigator may inform an employee |
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that failure to truthfully answer reasonable questions directly |
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related to the investigation or to fully cooperate in the conduct of |
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the investigation may result in punitive action. |
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(j) If prior notification of intent to record an |
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interrogation is given to the other party, either the investigator |
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or the employee who is the subject of an interrogation may record |
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the interrogation. The employee is entitled to a copy of the |
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recording of an interrogation described by this subsection at the |
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employee's expense. |
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(k) If an investigation does not result in punitive action |
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against an employee but does result in a written reprimand or an |
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adverse finding or determination regarding that person, the |
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reprimand, finding, or determination may not be placed in that |
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person's personnel file unless the employee is first given an |
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opportunity to read and sign the document. If the employee refuses |
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to sign the reprimand, finding, or determination, it may be placed |
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in the personnel file with a notation that the person refused to |
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sign it. An employee may respond in writing to a reprimand, |
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finding, or determination that is placed in the person's personnel |
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file under this subsection by submitting a written response to the |
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department head not later than the 10th day after the date the |
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employee is asked to sign the document. The response shall be |
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placed in the personnel file. An employee who receives a punitive |
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action and who elects not to appeal the action may file a written |
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response as prescribed by this subsection not later than the 10th |
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day after the date the person is given written notice of the |
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punitive action from the department head. |
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(l) If the department head or an investigator violates a |
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provision of this section while conducting an investigation, the |
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sheriff's department shall reverse any punitive action taken |
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pursuant to the investigation and reverse any reprimand, and any |
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information obtained during the investigation shall be |
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specifically excluded from introduction into evidence in any |
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proceeding against the employee. |
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Sec. 158.054. HEARING EXAMINERS. (a) A written notice for |
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a promotional bypass or the letter of disciplinary action, as |
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applicable, issued to an employee must state that in an appeal of an |
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indefinite suspension, a suspension, a promotional bypass, or a |
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recommended demotion, the appealing employee may elect to appeal to |
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an independent third-party hearing examiner instead of to the |
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commission. The letter must also state that if the employee elects |
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to appeal to a hearing examiner, the person waives all rights to |
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appeal to a district court except as provided by Subsection (j). |
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(b) To exercise the choice of appealing to a hearing |
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examiner, the appealing employee must submit to the sheriff or the |
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sheriff's designee a written request as part of the original notice |
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of appeal required under this chapter stating the person's decision |
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to appeal to an independent third-party hearing examiner. |
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(c) The hearing examiner's decision is final and binding on |
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all parties. If the employee decides to appeal to an independent |
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third-party hearing examiner, the person automatically waives all |
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rights to appeal to a district court except as provided by |
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Subsection (j). |
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(d) If the appealing employee chooses to appeal to a hearing |
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examiner, the employee and the sheriff or the sheriff's designee |
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shall first attempt to agree on the selection of an impartial |
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hearing examiner. If the parties do not agree on the selection of a |
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hearing examiner within 10 days after the date the appeal is filed, |
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the sheriff shall immediately request a list of seven qualified |
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neutral arbitrators from the American Arbitration Association or |
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the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, or their successors |
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in function. The employee and the sheriff or the sheriff's designee |
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may agree on one of the seven neutral arbitrators on the list. If |
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they do not agree within five working days after the date they |
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received the list, each party or the party's designee shall |
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alternate striking a name from the list and the name remaining is |
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the hearing examiner. The parties or their designees shall agree on |
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a date for the hearing. |
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(e) The appeal hearing shall begin as soon as the hearing |
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examiner can be scheduled. If the hearing examiner cannot begin the |
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hearing within 45 calendar days after the date of selection, the |
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employee may, within two days after learning of that fact, call for |
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the selection of a new hearing examiner using the procedure |
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prescribed by Subsection (d). |
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(f) In each hearing conducted under this section, the |
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hearing examiner has the same duties and powers as the commission, |
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including the right to issue subpoenas. |
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(g) In a hearing conducted under this section, the parties |
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may agree to an expedited hearing procedure. Unless otherwise |
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agreed by the parties, in an expedited procedure the hearing |
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examiner shall render a decision on the appeal within 10 days after |
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the date the hearing ended. |
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(h) In an appeal that does not involve an expedited hearing |
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procedure, the hearing examiner shall make a reasonable effort to |
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render a decision on the appeal within 30 days after the date the |
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hearing ends or the briefs are filed. The hearing examiner's |
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inability to meet the time requirements imposed by this section |
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does not affect the hearing examiner's jurisdiction, the validity |
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of the disciplinary action, or the hearing examiner's final |
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decision. |
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(i) The hearing examiner's fees and expenses are shared |
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equally by the appealing employee and by the department. The costs |
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of a witness are paid by the party who calls the witness. |
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(j) A district court may hear an appeal of a hearing |
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examiner's award only on the grounds that the hearing examiner was |
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without jurisdiction or exceeded the hearing examiner's |
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jurisdiction or that the order was procured by fraud, collusion, or |
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other unlawful means. An appeal must be brought in the district |
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court having jurisdiction in the county in which the sheriff's |
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department is located. |
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Sec. 158.055. COMMISSION INVESTIGATIONS AND INSPECTIONS. |
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(a) The commission or a commission member designated by the |
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commission may investigate and report on all matters relating to |
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the enforcement and effect of this subchapter and any rules adopted |
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under this subchapter and shall determine if the subchapter and |
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rules are being obeyed. |
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(b) During an investigation, the commission or the |
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commission member may: |
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(1) administer oaths; |
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(2) issue subpoenas to compel the attendance of |
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witnesses and the production of books, papers, documents, and |
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accounts relating to the investigation; and |
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(3) authorize the deposition of witnesses residing |
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inside or outside the state. |
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(c) A deposition taken in connection with an investigation |
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under this section must be taken in the manner prescribed by law for |
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taking a similar deposition in a civil action in federal district |
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court. |
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(d) An oath administered or a subpoena issued under this |
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section has the same force and effect as an oath administered by a |
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magistrate in the magistrate's judicial capacity. |
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(e) All subpoenaed witnesses shall appear before the |
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commission and provide testimony. The commission may not refuse to |
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hear the testimony of a witness once the subpoena has been issued. |
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(f) A person who fails to respond to a subpoena issued under |
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this section commits an offense punishable as prescribed by Section |
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158.056(b). |
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Sec. 158.056. CRIMINAL PENALTY FOR VIOLATION OF SUBCHAPTER. |
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(a) An employee commits an offense if the person violates this |
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subchapter. |
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(b) An offense under this section is a misdemeanor |
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punishable by a fine of not less than $500 or more than $1,000, |
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confinement in the county jail for not more than 30 days, or both. |
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Sec. 158.057. REINSTATEMENT. (a) If the commission, a |
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hearing examiner, or a district court orders that an employee |
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terminated or suspended without pay be reinstated, the county |
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shall, before the end of the second full pay period after the date |
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the person is reinstated, repay to the person all wages lost as a |
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result of the suspension. |
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(b) If the county does not fully repay all lost wages to the |
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sheriff's employee as provided by this section, the county shall |
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pay the person an amount equal to the lost wages plus accrued |
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interest. |
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(c) Interest under Subsection (b) accrues beginning on the |
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date of the sheriff's employee reinstatement at a rate equal to |
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three percent plus the rate for court judgments under Chapter 304, |
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Finance Code, that is in effect on the date of the person's |
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reinstatement. |
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(d) An employer who intentionally refuses for at least 10 |
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days to obey a commission order to reinstate a terminated, |
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suspended, or indefinitely suspended employee commits an offense |
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punishable under Section 158.056(b). |
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Sec. 158.058. DECISIONS AND RECORDS. (a) Each commission |
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member shall vote and sign a decision issued by the commission. |
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(b) The commission shall keep records of each hearing or |
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case that comes before the commission and copies of the records |
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shall be provided to the employee on request. |
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(c) Each rule, opinion, directive, decision, or order |
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issued by the commission must be written and constitutes a public |
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record that the commission shall retain on file. |
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Sec. 158.059. LEGISLATIVE LEAVE. (a) An employee is |
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entitled to legislative leave without pay to appear before or to |
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petition a governmental body during a regular or special session of |
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that body as prescribed by this section. |
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(b) To be eligible for legislative leave, an employee must |
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submit a written application to the county on or before the 30th day |
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before the date the employee intends to begin the legislative |
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leave. The application must indicate the length of the requested |
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leave and state that the employee is willing to reimburse the county |
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for any wages, pension, or other costs the county will incur as a |
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result of the leave. The length of the requested leave may not |
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exceed the length of the session. |
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(c) Within 30 days after the date the county receives the |
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application, the county shall notify the employee in writing of the |
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actual amount of money required to offset the costs the county will |
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incur. The county may require the employee to post the money before |
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granting the leave. |
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(d) The county shall grant legislative leave to an employee |
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who submits an application as prescribed by this section and who |
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complies with any requirement relating to payment of costs unless |
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an emergency exists or unless granting the leave will result in an |
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insufficient number of employees to carry out the normal functions |
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of the sheriff's department. |
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(e) If the county sheriff determines that granting a |
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legislative leave will result in an insufficient number of |
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employees to carry out the normal functions of the department, |
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another employee may volunteer to work in the applicant's place on |
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an exchange of time basis as long as no overtime results. If an |
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employee volunteers to work in the applicant's place and no |
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overtime will result, the sheriff shall allow the volunteer to work |
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in the applicant's place. If the volunteer work will solve the |
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problem of having an insufficient number of employees, the county |
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shall grant the legislative leave. |
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(f) Legislative leave is not a break in service for any |
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purpose, including the determination of seniority, promotions, |
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sick leave, vacations, or retirement. |
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(g) Legislative leave granted under this section to an |
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employee to attend a session of the Congress of the United States |
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shall be granted for a period not to exceed 30 percent of the |
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applicant's total annual working days during each year in which |
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leave is requested. |
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Sec. 158.060. LEGISLATIVE LEAVE ACCOUNT. (a) An employee |
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may donate not more than one hour for each month of accumulated |
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vacation or compensatory time to an employee organization. The |
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county shall establish and maintain a legislative leave time |
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account for the employee organization representing the majority of |
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employees in the sheriff's department. |
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(b) The employee must authorize the donation in writing on a |
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form provided by the employee organization and approved by the |
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county. After receiving the signed authorization on an approved |
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form, the county shall transfer donated time to the account monthly |
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until the county receives the employee's written revocation of the |
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authorization. |
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(c) Only an employee who is a member of the employee |
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organization described by Subsection (a) may use for legislative |
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leave purposes the time donated to that employee organization. An |
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employee may use for legislative leave purposes the time donated |
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under this section in lieu of reimbursing the county under Section |
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158.059. |
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(d) A request to use for legislative leave purposes the time |
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in an employee organization's time account must be in writing and |
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submitted to the county by the president or the equivalent officer |
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of the employee organization or by that officer's designee. |
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(e) The county shall account for the time donated to the |
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account and used from the account. The county may: |
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(1) determine and credit the actual cash value of the |
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donated time in the account and determine and deduct the actual cash |
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value of time used from the account for legislative leave purposes; |
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or |
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(2) credit and debit an account on an hour-for-hour |
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basis regardless of the cash value of the time donated or used. |
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(f) An employee organization may not use for legislative |
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leave purposes more than 4,000 hours from its time account under |
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this section in a calendar year. This section does not prevent an |
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employee organization from accumulating more than 4,000 hours. This |
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section only limits the total number of donated hours that an |
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employee organization may use in any calendar year. |
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Sec. 158.061. APPEAL TO DISTRICT COURT. Each appeal to a |
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district court under this subchapter shall be advanced on the |
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district court docket and given a preference setting over all other |
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cases. |
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Sec. 158.062. SPECIAL COUNSEL. A civil service commission |
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shall retain special counsel for the purpose of advising or |
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representing the commission as determined by the commission. The |
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commissioners court shall include in the annual county budget a |
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reasonable amount of funding, on the request of the civil service |
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commission, to employ special counsel. The employment is for the |
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time and on the terms that the commission considers necessary. |
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SECTION 3. Sections 158.035(c) and 158.0351, Local |
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Government Code, are repealed. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |