AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Current law provides that the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) law enforcement personnel are compensated in a manner equal to the Department of Public Safety personnel.  Prior legislation provided compensatory time for other state communications or dispatch personnel but did not include TPWD personnel in the same category.  The purpose of the bill is to equitably compensate those employees for work performed.

 

H.B. 46 includes TPWD communications personnel among the state employees entitled to certain compensatory time off.

 

H.B. 46 amends current law relating to compensatory time off for certain employees of the Parks and Wildlife Department.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 662.005(b), Government Code, as follows:

 

(b)  Provides that except as provided by Section 662.010 (Holiday Before Work Begins or After Work Ends), and notwithstanding Section 659.015 (Overtime Compensation for Employees Subject to Fair Labor Standards Act) or another law, a state employee who is a peace officer commissioned by a state officer or state agency listed under Article 2.12 (Who are Peace Officers), Code of Criminal Procedure, or who is employed by the Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas either to perform communications or dispatch services related to traffic law enforcement or as a public security officer, as that term is defined by Section 1701.001 (Definitions), Occupations Code, or who is employed by the Parks and Wildlife Department to perform communications and dispatch services to assist law enforcement officers commissioned by the Parks and Wildlife Commission in performing law enforcement duties, and who is required to work on a national or state holiday that falls on a Saturday or Sunday is entitled to compensatory time off at the rate of one hour for each hour worked on the holiday.

 

SECTION 2.  Effective date:  upon passage or September 1, 2011.