| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to a hiring freeze of nonessential personnel employed by |
|
|
certain state agencies. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. HIRING FREEZE. (a) This Act applies only to a |
|
|
state agency in the executive branch of state government that is |
|
|
eligible under law to receive an appropriation and has more than 750 |
|
|
full-time equivalent employee positions. |
|
|
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (d) of this section, |
|
|
during the state fiscal biennium that ends August 31, 2015, a state |
|
|
agency may not: |
|
|
(1) fill a full-time equivalent position that: |
|
|
(A) is vacant on September 1, 2013; or |
|
|
(B) becomes vacant after September 1, 2013; or |
|
|
(2) divert to any other use money appropriated for the |
|
|
salary, wages, or benefits attributable to a position described by |
|
|
Subdivision (1) of this subsection. |
|
|
(c) On September 1, 2015, the comptroller shall deposit any |
|
|
unexpended money appropriated for salary, wages, or benefits for a |
|
|
vacant position to which Subsection (b) of this section applies to |
|
|
the credit of the fund or account from which the money was |
|
|
appropriated. |
|
|
(d) A state agency may fill a vacant position described by |
|
|
Subsection (b) of this section and use to fill that position money |
|
|
appropriated for the salary, wages, or benefits attributable to the |
|
|
position only if the agency first determines that: |
|
|
(1) the position is critically related to the agency's |
|
|
ability to perform its core function; or |
|
|
(2) the number of vacant full-time equivalent employee |
|
|
positions with the agency is more than 10 percent of the total |
|
|
number of full-time equivalent employee positions authorized for |
|
|
the agency. |
|
|
(e) If a state agency makes a determination under Subsection |
|
|
(d) of this section, the agency shall: |
|
|
(1) notify the governor and members of the Legislative |
|
|
Budget Board of the nature of the vacancy; and |
|
|
(2) provide other information relating to the vacancy |
|
|
to the governor or members of the Legislative Budget Board on |
|
|
request. |
|
|
(f) A state agency that provides notice of a vacancy under |
|
|
Subsection (e)(1) of this section is not required to provide notice |
|
|
before filling a subsequent vacancy for that position. |
|
|
SECTION 2. EXEMPTIONS. This Act does not apply to: |
|
|
(a) The Department of Public Safety; or |
|
|
(b) The Department of Criminal Justice. |
|
|
SECTION 3. EXPIRATION. This Act expires September 1, 2015. |
|
|
SECTION 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September |
|
|
1, 2013. |