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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the continued employment of municipal employees who |
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become candidates for public office. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 150, Local Government Code, is amended |
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by adding Subchapter C to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER C. EMPLOYEES AS CANDIDATES FOR OFFICE |
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Sec. 150.041. PROHIBITED MUNICIPAL ACTIONS. (a) In this |
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section, "candidate" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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251.001(1), Election Code. |
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(b) A municipality may not prohibit a municipal employee |
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from becoming a candidate for public office. |
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(c) A municipality may not take disciplinary action against |
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a municipal employee, including terminating the employment of the |
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employee, because the employee becomes a candidate for public |
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office. |
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(d) A municipality may suspend, with or without pay, a |
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municipal employee who becomes a candidate but must reinstate the |
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employee to the job previously held by the employee when the |
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employee ends the campaign or is elected to office, unless the |
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duties of the office interfere with the person's duties as a |
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municipal employee. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |