bill paying state employees twice a month

The text as introduced · 1,102 words

89R3440 JBD-F

By: Vasut
H.B. No. 1659

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the payment of employment compensation to state

employees.

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

SECTION 1. Section 659.081, Government Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 659.081. STATE OFFICERS: 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.

SECTION 2. Section 659.082, Government Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 659.082. STATE EMPLOYEES: PAYMENT TWICE A MONTH.

Except as provided by the General Appropriations Act, annual

salaries for state employees shall [ (a) An employee 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 A12 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. ]

SECTION 3. Sections 659.083(a) and (b), Government Code,

are amended to read as follows:

(a) The [ 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 may not pay the salary of a state

employee before [ shall pay 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.

SECTION 4. Section 659.084, Government Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 659.084. ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFER. Salaries for

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

through electronic funds transfer under Section 403.016 unless paid

on warrant as permitted under that section.

SECTION 5. Section 659.085(d), Government Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(d) An agency that may contract with its employees for

employment for less than a 12-month period may make equal [ monthly ]

salary payments under the contract during the contract period or

during the fiscal year in accordance with the General

Appropriations Act and equitable rules adopted by the comptroller ,

provided that the salary payments are made twice a month to the

employees .

SECTION 6. Section 825.405(c), Government Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(c) Monthly, employers shall:

(1) report to the retirement system in a form

prescribed by the system a certification of the total amount of

salary paid above the statutory minimum salary and the total amount

of employer contributions due under this section for the [ payroll ]

period covered by the report ; and

(2) retain information, as determined by the

retirement system, sufficient to allow administration of this

section, including information for each employee showing the

applicable minimum salary as well as aggregate annual compensation.

SECTION 7. Section 825.407(c), Government Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(c) The designated disbursing officer of each general

academic teaching institution and the designated disbursing

officer of each medical and dental unit shall:

(1) submit to the retirement system, at a time and in

the manner prescribed by the retirement system, a monthly report

containing a certification of the total amount of salary paid from

noneducational and general funds and the total amount of employer

contributions due under this section for the [ payroll ] period

covered by the report ; and

(2) maintain and retain the following information:

(A) the name of each member employed by the

institution or unit who, for the [ most recent payroll ] period

covered by the report , was paid wholly or partly from

noneducational and general funds;

(B) the amount of the employee's salary for the

[ most recent payroll ] period covered by the report that was paid

from noneducational and general funds; and

(C) any other information the retirement system

determines is necessary to administer this section.

SECTION 8. Section 825.4071(c), Government Code, is amended

to read as follows:

(c) The designated disbursing officer of each public junior

college and each public junior college district shall:

(1) submit to the retirement system, at a time and in

the manner prescribed by the retirement system, a monthly report

containing a certification that includes:

(A) the total amount of compensation paid;

(B) the total amount of employer contributions

due under this section for the [ payroll ] period covered by the

report ; and

(C) any other information the retirement system

determines is necessary to administer this section; and

(2) maintain and retain the following information:

(A) the name of each member employed by the

public junior college or public junior college district;

(B) the amount of the member's salary for the

[ most recent payroll ] period covered by the report ;

(C) whether the member is a qualifying employee

under Section 825.404(a-1)(1); and

(D) any other information the retirement system

determines is necessary to administer this section.

SECTION 9. A state agency may adopt rules to implement this

Act.

SECTION 10. The changes in law made by this Act apply only

to the payment of compensation to a state employee for services

provided by the employee on or after September 1, 2025. The payment

of compensation to a state employee for services provided by the

employee before September 1, 2025, is governed by the law in effect

on the date the employee provided the services, and the former law

is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 11. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.