HBA-CMT H.B. 1531 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1531 By: Bailey Urban Affairs 3/5/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Local Government Code establishes certain civil service requirements for firefighters and police officers in cities with a population of 1.5 million or more that have adopted the provisions for municipal civil service. Currently the only city affected is the City of Houston. House Bill 1531 establishes procedures for processing and sustaining firefighter and police officer grievances at steps I, II, and III of the grievance process. 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. ANALYSIS House Bill 1531 amends the Local Government Code to provide that if the appropriate person does not provide a written response to a firefighter or police officer who files a grievance within 15 calendar days after the date a step I or II grievance meeting occurs, the department head is required to sustain the grievance. If the department head or department head's representative fails to hold a step II or step III grievance meeting within 15 calendar days after the step II or step III grievance form is filed, the department head is required to sustain the firefighter's or police officer's grievance. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.