By: Rodriguez S.B. No. 121
 
  (Marquez)
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to prohibited retaliation against certain state or local
  public employees for reporting to certain persons violations of
  law.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 554.002, Government Code, is amended by
  adding Subsections (a-1) and (a-2) to read as follows:
         (a-1)  In addition to the prohibitions under Subsection (a),
  a school district, including a home-rule school district, or a
  public school, including any school for which a charter has been
  granted under Chapter 12, Education Code, located in a county with a
  population of 800,000 or more that borders the United Mexican
  States may not suspend or terminate the employment of, or take other
  adverse personnel action against, a district or school employee who
  in good faith reports in writing a violation of law by the district
  or school or another district or school employee to:
               (1)  a person to whom the employee is required by law or
  policy to report allegations of misconduct by other district or
  school employees; or
               (2)  the human resources director of the reporting
  employee's campus or district or the human resource director's
  designee.
         (a-2)  Subsection (a-1) does not prohibit a school district
  or a public school to which that subsection applies from suspending
  or terminating the employment of, or taking other adverse personnel
  action against, a district or school employee who makes a good faith
  report under Subsection (a-1) for a reason other than one directly
  or indirectly related to the report.
         SECTION 2.  Subsection (b), Section 554.009, Government
  Code, is amended to read as follows:
         (b)  The attorney general shall prescribe the design and
  content of the sign required by this section. The sign must be
  written in English and Spanish and include:
               (1)  the description of an appropriate law enforcement
  authority under Section 554.002(b); and
               (2)  a statement summarizing a public employee's right
  to sue under this chapter.
         SECTION 3.  Section 554.002, Government Code, as amended by
  this Act, applies only to a personnel action taken on or after the
  effective date of this Act against an employee who reports a
  violation of law, regardless of the date on which the alleged
  violation of law occurred or was reported.
         SECTION 4.  (a)  The attorney general shall design the sign
  required by Section 554.009, Government Code, as amended by this
  Act, not later than October 1, 2013.
         (b)  Each state or local governmental entity shall post the
  sign required by Section 554.009, Government Code, as amended by
  this Act, not later than November 1, 2013.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2013.