87R293 CJC-F
By: Israel H.B. No. 550
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to prohibited retaliation against state or local public
employees for reporting certain violations of law.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 554.002(a), Government Code, is amended
to read as follows:
(a) A state or local governmental entity may not suspend or
terminate the employment of, or take other adverse personnel action
against, a public employee who in good faith reports a violation of
law by the employing governmental entity or another public employee
to:
(1) the reporting employee's immediate supervisor, or
an individual who holds a position above the reporting employee's
immediate supervisor, at the employing governmental entity;
(2) an individual or office designated by the
employing governmental entity as the individual or office for
reporting such grievances;
(3) a member of the human resources staff of the
employing governmental entity; or
(4) an appropriate law enforcement authority.
SECTION 2. Section 554.009, Government Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 554.009. NOTICE TO EMPLOYEES. (a) A state or local
governmental entity shall inform its employees of their rights
under this chapter by:
(1) posting a sign in a prominent location in the
workplace; and
(2) providing its employees with a copy of the
anti-retaliation policy adopted by the entity under Section
554.0095.
(b) The attorney general shall:
(1) prescribe the design and content of the sign
required by Subsection (a)(1); and
(2) post in a prominent location on the attorney
general's Internet website:
(A) a summary of the rights of public employees
under this chapter; and
(B) a notice informing public employees of:
(i) the ability to obtain a copy of the
anti-retaliation policy adopted by their employing governmental
entity under Section 554.0095 from an individual described by
Section 554.002(a)(1), (2), or (3); and
(ii) the requirement that an employing
governmental entity provide a copy of the entity's anti-retaliation
policy to each public employee on the first day of the employee's
employment with the entity [this section].
SECTION 3. Chapter 554, Government Code, is amended by
adding Section 554.0095 to read as follows:
Sec. 554.0095. ANTI-RETALIATION POLICY. (a) A state or
local governmental entity shall:
(1) develop and adopt an anti-retaliation policy
consistent with this chapter that:
(A) informs its employees of their rights under
this chapter and the anti-retaliation policy; and
(B) lists the individuals to whom its employees
may report a violation of law under Section 554.002(a);
(2) provide a copy of the anti-retaliation policy
adopted under Subdivision (1) to each employee on the first day of
the employee's employment with the entity; and
(3) notify its employees of any change made to its
anti-retaliation policy by e-mail, memorandum, or any other manner
that ensures each employee will be informed of the change.
(b) If an employee of a state or local governmental entity
requests a copy of the entity's anti-retaliation policy from an
individual described by Section 554.002(a)(1), (2), or (3), the
individual shall provide the employee with a copy of the policy.
SECTION 4. Not later than December 1, 2021, a state or local
governmental entity, as defined by Section 554.001, Government
Code, shall develop and adopt an anti-retaliation policy as
required by Section 554.0095, Government Code, as added by this
Act.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.