87R293 CJC-F
 
  By: Johnson S.B. No. 132
 
 
 
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.