Vasut’s bill paying every state employee twice a month

The text as introduced · 493 words

By: Vasut
H.B. No. 1326

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the frequency of pay for state employees.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Sections 659.081, 659.082, and 659.083,

Government Code, are amended to read as follows:

Sec. 659.081. PAYMENT ONCE A MONTH. Except as provided by

this subchapter or the General Appropriations Act, annual salaries

for state officers [ and employees ] shall be paid once a month.

Sec. 659.082. PAYMENT TWICE A MONTH. (a) A state [ An ]

employee shall [ is entitled to ] be paid employment compensation

twice a month [ if:

(1) the employee is employed by:

(A) the Texas Department of Mental Health and

Mental Retardation;

(B) the Texas Department of Transportation;

(C) the Texas Department of Human Services;

(D) the Texas Workforce Commission;

(E) the Department of Public Safety; or

(F) any other state agency designated by the

comptroller;

(2) the employee holds a classified position under the

state's position classification plan;

(3) the employee's position is classified below salary

group Al2 under classification salary Schedule A in the General

Appropriations Act;

(4) the employing state agency satisfies the

comptroller's requirements relating to the payment of compensation

twice a month; and

(5) at least 30 percent of the eligible employees of

the agency choose to be paid twice a month.

(b) Employees of an institution of higher education as

defined by Section 61.003, Education Code, may be paid twice a month

at the election of the employing institution of higher education ].

Sec. 659.083. PAYDAY. (a) Except as provided by Subsection

(b), the comptroller may not pay the salary of a state officer or

employee before the first working day of the month following the

payroll period.

(b) The comptroller shall pay a state [ an ] employee [ who is

paid twice a month under Section 659.082 ] on:

(1) the first working day of the month following the

payroll period that covers the last half of the preceding month; and

(2) the 15th day of the month or the first working day

after the 15th for the payroll period that covers the first half of

the month.

(c) In this section, "working day" means a day other than

Saturday, Sunday, or a national holiday as listed in the General

Appropriations Act or Chapter 662. A day does not cease to be a

national holiday because a state agency maintains or is required to

maintain a minimum working staff on the holiday.

SECTION 2. Sections 659.081, 659.082, and 659.083,

Government Code, as amended by this Act, apply only to compensation

due for services rendered on or after September 1, 2025. Employment

compensation due for services rendered prior September 1, 2025, is

governed by the law in effect on the date the services were

rendered, and the former law is continued in effect for that

purpose.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.