89R15483 CJD-F     By: Cook H.B. No. 4263       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the employment practices of the Texas Juvenile Justice   Department and to the eligibility of a person to be appointed to the   Texas Juvenile Justice Department's release review panel and the   authority of a panel member.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 242.004(c), Human Resources Code, is   amended to read as follows:          (c)  The department shall establish procedures and practices   governing:                (1)  employment-related grievances submitted by   department employees; and                (2)  grievances challenging disciplinary termination   of employment [disciplinary actions within the department,   including a procedure allowing a department employee to elect to   participate in an independent dismissal mediation if the employee   is recommended for dismissal].          SECTION 2.  Subchapter A, Chapter 242, Human Resources Code,   is amended by adding Section 242.012 to read as follows:          Sec. 242.012.  PAYMENT FOR VACATION LEAVE FOR JUVENILE   CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS. (a) In this section, "juvenile   correctional officer" has the meaning assigned by Section 242.009.          (b)  The department may adopt a policy allowing juvenile   correctional officers, one time during a fiscal year, to elect to   receive a lump-sum payment for the officer's accumulated vacation   leave in lieu of taking the leave.          (c)  The number of hours of accumulated vacation leave for   which a juvenile correctional officer may be paid under a policy   authorized by this section may not exceed all of the officer's   accumulated vacation leave or 40 hours of accumulated vacation   leave, whichever is less.          (d)  If the department pays a juvenile correctional officer   for the officer's accumulated vacation leave under a policy   authorized by this section, the department shall:                (1)  compute the amount of the payment by multiplying   the officer's hourly rate of compensation on the date the officer   notifies the department of an election by the number of hours of   accumulated vacation leave for which the officer elects to be paid;   and                (2)  on making the payment, deduct the number of hours   for which the officer received payment from the officer's   accumulated vacation leave balance.          SECTION 3.  Section 245.101(c), Human Resources Code, is   amended to read as follows:          (c)  The executive director shall determine the size of the   panel described by Subsection (b) and the length of the members'   terms of service on the panel.  The panel must consist of an odd   number of members and the terms of the panel's members must last for   at least two years.  The executive director shall adopt policies   that ensure the transparency, consistency, and objectivity of the   panel's composition, procedures, and decisions.  The executive   director shall appoint persons to serve as members of the panel.  A   person appointed to the panel must be a department employee [who   works at the department's central office].  A member of the panel   may not be involved in any determination under this chapter   [supervisory decisions] concerning a child [children] in the   custody of the department for whom that panel member has made a   supervisory decision.          SECTION 4.  As soon as practicable after the effective date   of this Act, the Texas Juvenile Justice Department shall establish   the procedures and practices required by Section 242.004(c), Human   Resources Code, as amended by this Act.          SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.