AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
S.B. 442 is a result of a recommendation by the Texas Coordinating Council for Veterans Services. In some instances, after a deployment, veterans who are state employees are having to use their personal earned leave or compensatory time to tend to re-integration issues, such as medical or mental health care and employee assistance counseling.
S.B. 442 gives reserve or national guardsmen returning to state employment after a deployment up to 15 days of additional leave. The leave will be granted to address needs that are not taken care of during the time between returning to the states and returning to state employment.
As proposed, S.B. 442 amends current law relating to leave for certain veterans returning to state employment.
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 Z, Chapter 661, Government Code, by adding Section 661.920, as follows:
Sec. 661.920. LEAVE FOR REEMPLOYED VETERANS. Requires a state employee who is reemployed by a state agency after military service as provided by Section 431.006 (Reemployment of Person Called to Training or Duty) or Chapter 613 (Reemployment Following Military Service) to be granted leave to tend to matters relating to the employee's military service or reintegration into civilian life, including obtaining medical or mental health care and receiving employee assistance counseling. Prohibits leave under this section from exceeding 15 days without a deduction in salary or loss of vacation time, sick leave, earned overtime credit, or state compensatory time. Prohibits leave under this section from being used after the first anniversary of the date the employee is reemployed by the state agency.
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2013.