| 1 | 1 | | 86R11810 MTB-D |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: Neave H.B. No. 2743 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | relating to an annual workplace climate survey conducted by state |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | agencies. |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 651, Government Code, is amended by |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | adding Section 651.011 to read as follows: |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 651.011. ANNUAL WORKPLACE CLIMATE SURVEY. (a) In this |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | section, "state agency" means a board, commission, council, |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | committee, department, office, or other agency in the executive, |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | legislative, or judicial branch of state government. The term |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | includes an institution of higher education as defined by Section |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | 61.003, Education Code. |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | (b) Not later than August 1 of each year, each state agency |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | shall conduct a workplace climate survey of agency employees to |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | gather information on the incidence of sexual harassment in the |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | agency's workplace and means of addressing the harassment. The |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | survey must: |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | (1) be voluntary for participants; |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | (2) allow participants to maintain anonymity and |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | confidentiality of responses; and |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | (3) be based on scientific research and workplace best |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | practices. |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | (c) Each state agency shall: |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | (1) review the survey responses to identify any |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | elements of the agency's workplace climate that may be associated |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | with sexual harassment; and |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | (2) make reasonable efforts to address elements |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | identified under Subdivision (1) and reduce sexual harassment in |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | the agency's workplace based on the responses provided in the |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | survey. |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | SECTION 2. A state agency is not required to comply with |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | Section 651.011, Government Code, as added by this Act, until |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | August 1, 2020. |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
|---|