Relating to the payment of employment compensation to state employees.

The text as introduced · 729 words

90R3539 JDB-F

By: Vasut
H.B. No. 688

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.

[ (c) A state agency listed in Subsection (a) may elect to

pay employment compensation twice a month to an employee who holds a

position classified under classification salary Schedule A in the

General Appropriations Act. A state agency that elects to pay

employment compensation twice a month under this subsection must

satisfy the comptroller's requirements relating to the payment of

compensation twice a month. ]

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 321.012(d), Government Code, is

repealed.

SECTION 7. A state agency may adopt rules necessary to

implement this Act.

SECTION 8. 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, 2027. The payment

of compensation to a state employee for services provided by the

employee before September 1, 2027, 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 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 2027.