Texas 2011 82nd Regular

Texas House Bill HB1652 Introduced / Bill

                    82R1474 NAJ-F
 By: Alonzo H.B. No. 1652


 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT
 relating to collective bargaining by firefighters and police
 officers.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 SECTION 1.  Section 142.0015(f), Local Government Code, is
 amended to read as follows:
 (f)  Except as provided by Subsection (g) or (j), a police
 officer may not be required to work:
 (1)  more than 40 hours during a calendar week in a
 municipality that:
 (A)  has a population of more than one million;
 and
 (B)  is not subject to Section 142.0017; [and
 [(C)  has not adopted Chapter 174;] or
 (2)  in a municipality not described by Subdivision
 (1), more hours during a calendar week than the number of hours in
 the normal work week of the majority of the employees of the
 municipality other than fire fighters and police officers.
 SECTION 2.  Section 142.013(a), Local Government Code, is
 amended to read as follows:
 (a)  This section applies only to police officers employed by
 a municipality with a population of one million or more [that has
 not adopted Chapter 174 and] to which Section 143.1261 does not
 apply.
 SECTION 3.  Section 143.0051(a), Local Government Code, as
 added by Chapter 129 (H.B. 263), Acts of the 79th Legislature,
 Regular Session, 2005, is amended to read as follows:
 (a)  This section applies only to a fire department employee
 employed by a municipality with a population of 220,000 or more.
 [This section does not apply to a fire department employee employed
 by a municipality:
 [(1)  that has adopted Chapter 174; or
 [(2)  to which Subchapter H or I applies.]
 SECTION 4.  Subchapter A, Chapter 174, Local Government
 Code, is amended by adding Section 174.009 to read as follows:
 Sec. 174.009.  EFFECT OF MEET AND CONFER AGREEMENTS. An
 agreement reached under Subchapter B or C, Chapter 142, Subchapter
 H, I, or J, Chapter 143, or Chapter 147 before September 1, 2011,
 remains in effect until the earlier of:
 (1)  the date the agreement expires according to its
 terms; or
 (2)  the date an agreement under this chapter is
 ratified by the parties and becomes effective.
 SECTION 5.  Section 174.023, Local Government Code, is
 amended to read as follows:
 Sec. 174.023.  RIGHT TO ORGANIZE AND BARGAIN COLLECTIVELY.
 Fire [On adoption of this chapter or the law codified by this
 chapter by a political subdivision to which this chapter applies,
 fire] fighters, police officers, or both are entitled to organize
 and bargain collectively with their public employer regarding
 compensation, hours, and other conditions of employment.
 SECTION 6.  The heading to Section 174.153, Local Government
 Code, is amended to read as follows:
 Sec. 174.153.  REQUEST FOR ARBITRATION[; AGREEMENT TO
 ARBITRATE].
 SECTION 7.  Sections 174.154(a) and (b), Local Government
 Code, are amended to read as follows:
 (a)  Not later than the fifth day after the date a request [an
 agreement] to arbitrate is made [executed], each party shall:
 (1)  select one arbitrator; and
 (2)  immediately notify the other party in writing of
 the name and address of the arbitrator selected.
 (b)  Not later than the 10th day after the date a request [an
 agreement] to arbitrate is made [executed], the arbitrators named
 under Subsection (a) shall attempt to select a third (neutral)
 arbitrator. If the arbitrators are unable to agree on a third
 arbitrator, either party may request the American Arbitration
 Association to select the third arbitrator, and the American
 Arbitration Association may appoint the third arbitrator according
 to its fair and regular procedures. Unless both parties consent,
 the third arbitrator may not be the same individual who served as a
 mediator under Section 174.151.
 SECTION 8.  The following provisions are repealed:
 (1)  Subchapters B and C, Chapter 142, Local Government
 Code;
 (2)  Subchapters H, I, and J, Chapter 143, Local
 Government Code;
 (3)  Chapter 147, Local Government Code;
 (4)  Subchapter C, Chapter 174, Local Government Code;
 (5)  Section 174.153(c), Local Government Code;
 (6)  Section 174.163, Local Government Code;
 (7)  Section 174.252, Local Government Code; and
 (8)  Section 1.05, Chapter 183 (S.B. 598), Acts of the
 64th Legislature, Regular Session, 1975 (Article 6243e.1, Vernon's
 Texas Civil Statutes).
 SECTION 9.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.