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TexasHB 33489th Legislature Regular SessionHouseWALLET

Relating to the establishment of a county employee family leave pool program.

Sponsored By: César Blanco (Democratic), Cassandra Garcia Hernandez, Terri Leo Wilson, Claudia Ordaz, Jared Patterson, Matt Shaheen

Signed by Governor

County Government--Employees/OfficersState EmployeesEMPLOYEE BENEFITS & LEAVEFAMILY & MEDICAL LEAVE

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 1 costs, 2 mixed.

Family leave access for county workers

Employees in participating counties can use pool leave after exhausting eligible compensatory, discretionary, sick, and vacation leave. Reasons include childbirth, foster placement or adoption of a child under 18, and placement of an adult needing guardianship. Serious illness of the employee or an immediate family member also qualifies, including pandemic-related illness. Other reasons include ongoing-pandemic hardships, such as essential family care, or a prior donation to the pool. Care applications require the applicable birth, adoption, foster, relationship, or guardianship records, including records identifying the employee as required. Serious-illness applicants need a treating licensed practitioner's written statement when county sick-leave-pool benefits are unavailable or exhausted. Pandemic-hardship applicants must provide applicable records, which may include an essential-caregiver designation or proof of school or daycare closure. The administrator must approve and credit pool time after finding an employee eligible. Absences using that time count as earned sick leave for all purposes.

County workers face shared leave limits

An employee's withdrawal cannot exceed the smaller of one-third of the county pool's total leave or 90 days. The pool administrator decides how much time the employee can withdraw within that limit. A deceased employee's estate cannot receive payment for unused time the employee withdrew from the pool.

Shared leave pools for county workers

Texas county commissioners courts can create family leave pools by order; counties are not required to participate. The county judge runs the pool or appoints an administrator, and the program must follow the law's requirements. Employees can voluntarily donate one or more days of earned sick or vacation leave to their county's pool. The administrator adds donated time to the pool and deducts the same amount from the employee's leave balance. Retiring employees can designate accrued sick or vacation hours for retirement credit and hours to donate to the pool.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsors

  • César Blanco

    Democratic • Senate

  • Cassandra Garcia Hernandez

    House

  • Terri Leo Wilson

    House

  • Claudia Ordaz

    House

  • Jared Patterson

    House

  • Matt Shaheen

    House

Cosponsors

  • Carol Alvarado

    Democratic • Senate

  • Salman Bhojani

    House

  • Trey Martinez Fischer

    House

  • Mihaela Plesa

    House

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 347 • No: 4

Senate vote • 5/13/2025

Record vote

Yes: 31 • No: 0

Senate vote • 5/13/2025

Record vote

Yes: 31 • No: 0

House vote • 5/2/2025

Record vote

Yes: 131 • No: 3

House vote • 5/1/2025

Record vote

Yes: 140 • No: 1

House vote • Unknown

Committee vote: Intergovernmental Affairs

Yes: 9 • No: 0

Senate vote • Unknown

Committee vote: Local Government

Yes: 5 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective immediately

    5/26/2025House

  2. Signed by the Governor

    5/26/2025House

  3. Sent to the Governor

    5/14/2025House

  4. Signed in the Senate

    5/14/2025Senate

  5. Signed in the House

    5/14/2025House

  6. Co-sponsor authorized

    5/14/2025Senate

  7. Placed on local & uncontested calendar

    5/14/2025Senate

  8. Reported enrolled

    5/13/2025House

  9. Senate passage reported

    5/13/2025House

  10. Record vote

    5/13/2025Senate

  11. Passed

    5/13/2025Senate

  12. Read 3rd time

    5/13/2025Senate

  13. Record vote

    5/13/2025Senate

  14. Three day rule suspended

    5/13/2025Senate

  15. Vote recorded in Journal

    5/13/2025Senate

  16. Read 2nd time & passed to 3rd reading

    5/13/2025Senate

  17. Rules suspended-Regular order of business

    5/13/2025Senate

  18. Placed on intent calendar

    5/12/2025Senate

  19. Committee report printed and distributed

    5/9/2025Senate

  20. Recommended for local & uncontested calendar

    5/9/2025Senate

  21. Reported favorably w/o amendments

    5/9/2025Senate

  22. Vote taken in committee

    5/8/2025Senate

  23. Testimony taken in committee

    5/8/2025Senate

  24. Considered in public hearing

    5/8/2025Senate

  25. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .

    5/8/2025Senate

Bill Text

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