Bill Text: TX SB132 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to prohibited retaliation against state or local public employees for reporting certain violations of law.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-03 - Referred to State Affairs [SB132 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-SB132-Introduced.html
87R293 CJC-F | ||
By: Johnson | S.B. No. 132 |
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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 [ |
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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. |