AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
The purpose of this legislation is to allow counties with a county civil service system to adopt and enforce uniform rules on the hours of certain county employees whose compensation is set or approved by the county commissioners court.
Under current law, only the commissioners court of counties containing 355,000 inhabitants may adopt and enforce uniform rules on the hours of work of department heads, assistants, deputies, and other employees whose compensation is set or approved by the court. Webb County would like to ensure that its county offices have consistent employee work hours so that the county can provide regular and reliable service to its citizens. Because the county has fewer than 355,000 inhabitants, however, the Webb County Commissioners Court is unable set uniform hours of work under current law.
S.B. 1974 therefore adds Webb County and any other county with an operational county civil service system adopted pursuant to Subchapter A, Chapter 158, Local Government Code, to the counties in which the county commissioners court is authorized to adopt and enforce uniform rules on the hours of work of department heads, assistants, deputies, and other employees whose compensation is set or approved by the court.
As proposed, S.B. 1974 amends current law relating to the adoption of uniform rules for hours of work for certain county 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 Section 157.021(a), Local Government Code, as follows:
(a) Authorizes the commissioners court in a county with a population of 355,000 or more or covered by a county civil service system created under Subchapter A (County Civil Service System), Chapter 158 (County Civil Service), to adopt and enforce uniform rules on the hours of work of department heads, assistants, deputies, and other employees whose compensation is set or approved by the court.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2015.