81R2312 JTS-D

By: Madden H.B. No. 562

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to certain employment functions of county government.

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

SECTION 1. Section 151.903, Local Government Code, is amended by amending Subsection (e) and adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:

(e) A form adopted under this section is subject to the approval of the person charged with prescribing the form [county auditor].

(g) The commissioners court of a county that first qualifies for coverage by this section following the 2010 federal decennial census and that has abolished its office of county treasurer may appoint a payroll officer to prescribe the forms and systems, enforce the rules, and withhold payment of salaries under Subsection (d).

SECTION 2. Sections 152.071(a) and (b), Local Government Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) In a county with a population of more than 75,000, the county government shall classify all positions in its sheriff's department and shall specify the duties and job qualifications and prescribe the salary for each classification.

(b) A member of the sheriff's department who meets the job qualifications and who is required to perform the duties of a particular classification is entitled to be paid the salary prescribed for that position during the time the member performs those duties, except that member who performs the duties of a classification for which the member was not initially hired is not entitled to be paid the salary prescribed for performing those duties unless the payment is authorized by the commissioners court before the duties are performed.

SECTION 3. Sections 155.002(a) and (b), Local Government Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) A request for a payroll deduction must:

(1) be in writing;

(2) be submitted to the county auditor unless the deduction is processed through an automated payroll system maintained by the county; and

(3) state the amount to be deducted and the entity to which the amount is to be transferred.

(b) A request remains in effect until:

(1) the county auditor receives a written notice of revocation signed by the employee; or

(2) the deduction is revoked by the employee through an automated payroll system maintained by the county.

SECTION 4. Section 157.002, Local Government Code, is amended by amending Subsections (c) and (d) and adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:

(c) A rule adopted under this section relating to a person's medical care, hospitalization, or insurance coverage must be included in the person's employment contract if the person is covered by an employment contract.

(d) A rule adopted under this section is subject to the review [approval] of the county auditor.

(g) As an alternative to reinsuring its potential liability or purchasing stop-loss coverage for an amount of potential liability that is in excess of 125 percent of projected paid losses under Subsection (f), a county with a population greater than 475,000 but less than one million that provides coverage under this section may purchase specific stop-loss coverage.

SECTION 5. 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, 2009.