81R7285 SLB-F
 
  By: Menendez H.B. No. 3434
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to collective bargaining by law enforcement officers and
  firefighters.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 174.003, Local Government Code, is
  amended by adding Subdivisions (1-a), (1-b), and (2-a) and amending
  Subdivision (3) to read as follows:
               (1-a)  "County jailer" has the meaning assigned by
  Section 1701.001, Occupations Code.
               (1-b)  "Detention officer" has the meaning assigned by
  Section 411.048, Government Code.
               (2-a)  "Peace officer" has the meaning assigned by
  Section 1701.001, Occupations Code.
               (3)  "Police officer" means a paid employee who is
  sworn, certified, and full-time, and who regularly serves in a
  professional law enforcement capacity for a law enforcement agency
  [in the police department] of a political subdivision. The term:
                     (A)  includes a peace officer, detention officer,
  and county jailer; and
                     (B)  does not include the chief of the law
  enforcement agency [department].
         SECTION 2.  Section 174.023, Local Government Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 174.023.  RIGHT TO ORGANIZE AND BARGAIN COLLECTIVELY.
  (a)  Fire [On adoption of this chapter or the law codified by this
  chapter by a political subdivision to which this chapter applies,
  fire] fighters, police officers, or both are entitled to organize
  and bargain collectively with their public employer regarding
  compensation, hours, and other conditions of employment.
         (b)  For fire fighters or police officers governed by a state
  statute under which an association representing fire fighters,
  police officers, or both, may enter into a meet and confer agreement
  with a public employer, the association representing the fire
  fighters, police officers, or both, as applicable, may, on the
  expiration of a meet and confer agreement, elect at any time to
  pursue collective bargaining under this chapter, except that if the
  association enters into a subsequent meet and confer agreement
  under another statute, the statute authorizing the meet and confer
  agreement applies during the term of the agreement.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter C, Chapter 174, Local Government
  Code, is repealed.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.