| 2 | 4 | | |
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| 3 | 5 | | |
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| 4 | 6 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 7 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 8 | | relating to telework for state employees. |
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| 7 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 8 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 658, Government Code, is amended by |
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| 9 | 11 | | adding Sections 658.001(3) and 658.011 as follows: |
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| 10 | 12 | | Sec. 658.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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| 11 | 13 | | (1) “Full-time state employee” means a person employed by a |
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| 12 | 14 | | state agency who, if not participating in a voluntary work |
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| 13 | 15 | | reduction program under Section 658.003, is required to work for |
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| 14 | 16 | | the agency not less than 40 hours a week. |
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| 15 | 17 | | (2) “State agency” means: |
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| 16 | 18 | | (A) a board, commission, department, institution, |
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| 17 | 19 | | office, or other agency in the executive branch of state government |
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| 18 | 20 | | that is created by the constitution or a statute of this state, |
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| 19 | 21 | | including an institution of higher education as defined by Section |
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| 20 | 22 | | 61.003, Education Code, other than a public junior college; or |
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| 21 | 23 | | (B) the Supreme Court of Texas, the Texas Court of |
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| 22 | 24 | | Criminal Appeals, a court of appeals, or other agency in the |
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| 23 | 25 | | judicial branch. |
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| 24 | 26 | | (3) “Telework” means a work arrangement that allows a state |
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| 25 | 27 | | employee to conduct all or some of their work away from a state |
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| 26 | 28 | | office building during all or a portion of the state employee’s |
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| 27 | 29 | | established work hours on a regular basis. |
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| 28 | 30 | | Sec. 658.011. AWARDING OF TELEWORK. (a) Subject to the |
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| 29 | 31 | | provisions under Sec. 658.010, the administrative head of an agency |
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| 30 | 32 | | may award telework to an employee to: |
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| 31 | 33 | | (1) Address a lack of office space; or |
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| 32 | 34 | | (2) Provide reasonable flexibilities that enhance the |
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| 33 | 35 | | agency’s ability to achieve its mission. |
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| 34 | 36 | | (b) The administrative head of the employing agency shall |
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| 35 | 37 | | articulate in writing the reason telework is being provided to an |
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| 36 | 38 | | employee and the conditions under which it may be revoked. |
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| 37 | 39 | | (c) Telework shall not be awarded to an employee as a |
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| 38 | 40 | | condition of hiring. |
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| 39 | 41 | | (d) Telework may be revoked at any time at the discretion of |
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| 40 | 42 | | the agency and without notice. |
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| 41 | 43 | | (e) Telework agreements must be renewed annually by the |
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| 42 | 44 | | employee and the administrative head of an agency. |
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| 43 | 45 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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