BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2118

By: Olivo

Border & Intergovernmental Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

William "Willie" Cardenas Velasquez was an active civil rights leader and a strong force in the push for increased political involvement of Mexican Americans, Latinos, and other minorities.  He founded the Southwest Voter Registration Education Project (SVREP) in 1974 and co-founded the Mexican American Youth Organization (MAYO).  In 1995, he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor any civilian can receive, by President Bill Clinton.  Velasquez is only the second Latino ever to earn that honor.  His dream of a more effective, informed, and involved electorate has now become his legacy through the organizations he established. 

H.B. 2118 designates May 9th as an optional state holiday called "Willie Velasquez Day."

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

H.B. 2118 amends the Government Code to designate the 9th day of May as "Willie Velasquez Day" in observance of the birthday of William "Willie" Cardenas Velasquez.  The bill authorizes the administrative head of a state agency to allow an employee of the agency to have a day off with pay on Willie Velasquez Day in lieu of any other state holiday that occurs on a weekday, other than a weekday on which an election is held throughout the state, on which the agency is required to be open but on which the operations of the agency are required to be maintained at only a minimum level.  The bill requires each state agency to remain open and conduct the operations of the agency at a minimum level on Willie Velasquez Day.  The bill establishes that a holiday allowed under this section is in lieu of another holiday prescribed by law.  The bill establishes that the total number of holidays in a year to which an employee of a state agency is entitled is not changed by these provisions.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2009.