Bill Text: TX HB207 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to prohibited retaliation against state or local public employees for reporting to certain persons violations of law.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-02-20 - No action taken in committee [HB207 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HB207-Introduced.html
83R621 VOO-D | ||
By: Marquez | H.B. No. 207 |
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relating to prohibited retaliation against state or local public | ||
employees for reporting to certain persons 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) an appropriate law enforcement authority; | ||
(2) a supervisor of the reporting employee; | ||
(3) an administrator of the entity; or | ||
(4) a human resources staff member of the entity. | ||
SECTION 2. Section 554.006, Government Code, is amended by | ||
amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsection (e) to read | ||
as follows: | ||
(a) A public employee may [ |
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grievance or appeal procedures of the employing state or local | ||
governmental entity relating to suspension or termination of | ||
employment or adverse personnel action before suing under this | ||
chapter. | ||
(b) An [ |
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applicable grievance or appeal procedures before filing suit must | ||
invoke those procedures not later than the 90th day after the date | ||
on which the alleged violation of this chapter: | ||
(1) occurred; or | ||
(2) was discovered by the employee through reasonable | ||
diligence. | ||
(e) A public employee is not required to initiate grievance | ||
or appeal procedures under this section as a prerequisite to filing | ||
suit under Section 554.005. | ||
SECTION 3. Sections 554.002 and 554.006, Government Code, | ||
as amended by this Act, apply only to a personnel action taken on or | ||
after the effective date of this Act against an employee who reports | ||
a violation of law, regardless of the date on which the alleged | ||
violation of law occurred or was reported. | ||
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |