Highlights 77th Texas Legislature - Senate

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OCAL GOVERNMENT
77 th Texas Legislature
governmental function, hindering the ability of a city to enforce such restrictions. The decision has resulted
in a number of difficulties for the city of Houston regarding deed restriction violations and their enforcement.
Adds the enforcement of deed restrictions, and actions filed by a municipality to enforce them, to the list of
the governmental functions of a municipality.
Local Control of Municipal Employment - H.B. 2677
by Representatives Bailey and Edwards
Senate Sponsor: Senator Whitmire
Firefighters and police officers of the City of Houston are currently covered by meet and confer legislation,
but there are no provisions covering the employment matters of Houston's other municipal employees.
Grants municipal public employee associations for a city of 1.9 million or more the right to meet and confer
with a public employer over issues such as wages, hours, working conditions, and all other terms and
conditions of employment. It also prohibits strikes and work stoppages by employees who participate in
these organizations.
Legislative Leave Time Bank for Peace Officers and Firefighters - H.B. 2706
by Representative Arthur Reyna
Senate Sponsor: Senator Madla
Allows a county with a population greater than one million and less than 1.5 million to establish and
maintain a legislative leave time bank for each of its peace officer or firefighter employee organizations.
This bill allows employees to use leave time from the bank to communicate with their legislators instead of
the employee organization or employee reimbursing the employer for expenses incurred as a result of
legislative leave.
Emergency Services and Rural Fire Protection Districts - H.B. 2744
by Representative Carter, et al.
Senate Sponsor: Senator Madla
During the most recent interim, the House Committee on Urban Affairs researched whether emergency
services districts (ESD) and rural fire prevention districts (RFPD) are able to provide the highest quality
services under current statutory requirements. Testimony indicated that ESDs and RFPDs need greater
flexibility in structuring districts to provide fire protection and emergency services.
Enables an RFPD to increase its maximum tax rate through an election process.
Authorizes a district to make mutually agreeable boundary changes with other districts and provides for a
prorata adjustment of outstanding bonds or other district obligations.
Senate Research Center 206