HBA-JEK H.B. 2384 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2384
By: Carter
Urban Affairs
4/2/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

In the past, residents of Fort Worth have voted against recognizing a
police or firefighter association as the exclusive bargaining agent of the
city's police officers and firefighters.  Recent growth in the city has
placed Fort Worth over the 460,000 person limit at which a municipality is
required to recognize a police officers or firefighters association as the
sole and exclusive bargaining agent of its police officers and firefighters
if a petition calling for that recognition is submitted.  House Bill 2384
provides that certain municipalities that have not recognized a
firefighters or police officers association before September 1, 2001 must
receive voter approval before recognizing an association and operating
under the provisions regarding firefighter and police officer employment
matters. 

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 2384 amends the Local Government Code to provide that the
governing bodies of certain municipalities that have not recognized a
firefighters or police officers association as the sole and exclusive
bargaining agent before September 1, 2001 must receive voter approval
before operating under the provisions related to firefighter and police
officer employment matters.  The bill sets forth provisions regarding a
petition for election and the ballot for such an election.  The bill only
applies to a municipality with a population of 460,000 or more, but less
than 1.5 million, that operates under a city manager form of government and
has not adopted the Fire and Police Employee Relations Act. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.