BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 65
82R660 MCK-F	By: Zaffirini
	Administration
	3/9/2011
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

The purpose of this legislation is to grant legislative branch agencies the ability to offer recruitment and retention payments to prospective or current employees to attract or retain highly qualified persons.  This legislation is necessary to allow the Texas Legislative Council (TLC) to recruit and retain qualified attorneys.  According to TLC staff, it costs far more to recruit and train a new hire than it does to offer a deferred compensation contract to an employee who is thinking about leaving.  It is also noteworthy that nearly all executive and judicial branch agencies already have this authority.

As proposed, S.B. 65 amends current law relating to additional compensation for certain state employees.

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 Subchapter K, Chapter 659, Government Code, by adding Section 659.2621, as follows:

Sec. 659.2621.  ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION FOR CERTAIN LEGISLATIVE EMPLOYEES.  Authorizes a state agency in the legislative branch of state government, without regard to whether an employee is employed or will be employed in a classified position under Chapter 654 (Position Classification) to provide a one-time recruitment payment to an agency employee under Section 659.262 (Additional Compensation For Certain Classified State Employees) and to enter into a deferred compensation contract with an agency employee who is considered to be essential for the agency's operations under Section 659.262.

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