HBA-NMO H.B. 3374 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3374 By: Talton Natural Resources 4/5/99 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current law authorizes a water district to form a police department with statewide jurisdiction. However, an instance occurred in which a defunct water district outside of Houston formed a police department. H.B. 3374 provides that a peace officer for a water district must be a full-time paid employee of the district who works an average of at least 32 hours a week, is compensated at the rate of minimum wage or higher, and is entitled to all employee benefits offered to other employees of the district. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 49.216, Water Code, to provide that a peace officer for a water district must be a full-time paid employee of the district who works on the average of at least 32 hours a week, is compensated at the rate of minimum wage or higher, and is entitled to all employee benefits offered to other employees of the district. SECTION 2.Emergency clause. Effective date: upon passage. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1999.