BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1737

By: Van de Putte

Defense & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

There are concerns that state employees entitled to 15 days of paid leave of absence for military duty or training cannot carry forward unused leave and that state employees called to federal active duty to provide assistance in a declared emergency do not receive a paid leave of absence.  S.B. 1737 seeks to address these concerns by amending current law relating to accrual and use of leave of absence for certain training or duty, including military training or duty, by public employees and officers.

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

S.B. 1737 amends the Government Code to make an exception for its provisions to provisions entitling a public employee or officer to a paid leave of absence for up to 15 workdays in a federal fiscal year for certain authorized training or duty, including military training or duty.  The bill entitles an officer or employee of the state to carry forward from one federal fiscal year to the next the net balance of unused accumulated leave that does not exceed 45 workdays.

S.B. 1737 entitles a state employee called to federal active duty for the purpose of providing assistance to civil authorities in a declared emergency or for training for that purpose to receive paid emergency leave for not more than 22 workdays without loss of military leave under provisions of law relating to leave of absence for public officers and employees or loss of annual leave.  The bill specifies that such duty or training does not include certain authorized duty or training, including military duty or training. The bill makes conforming changes.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2011.