Honorable Kelly Hancock, Chair, Senate Committee on Business & Commerce
FROM:
John McGeady, Assistant Director Sarah Keyton, Assistant Director Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB2885 by Davis, Yvonne (Relating to paid leave for public officers and employees engaged in certain military service.), As Engrossed
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would amend Chapter 437 of the Government Code to entitle certain public officers and employees who are members of the Texas military forces, a reserve component of the armed forces, or a member of a state or federally authorized urban search and rescue team to a paid leave of absence, if called to active duty during a disaster. Based on the analysis, it is assumed that the provisions of the bill could be absorbed using existing resources. The bill would take effect September 1, 2019.
Local Government Impact
According to the Texas Municipal League, the fiscal impact to cities cannot be determined because the number of personnel involved and the number of occasions when they are called to respond are unknown.
The Texas Association of Counties anticipates a significant fiscal impact to counties.
According to Bexar County, authorizing paid military leave for active duty during a disaster for up to 7 days with no loss of time from existing leave would increase County costs for overtime to cover for these absences. The majority of the 121 Bexar County employees who took military leave in 2017-18 were uniformed officers. Assuming the same number of employees would take a 7-day leave to respond to a disaster, Bexar County's overtime costs would be $250,000 per disaster.
Source Agencies:
320 Texas Workforce Commission, 405 Department of Public Safety, 529 Health and Human Services Commission, 601 Department of Transportation, 696 Department of Criminal Justice, 701 Texas Education Agency, 710 Texas A&M University System Administrative and General Offices, 720 The University of Texas System Administration, 783 University of Houston System Administration