HBA-JEK S.B. 738 77(R)    HBA-JEK-S.B. 738 77(R)    
BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 738
By: Bivins
Urban Affairs
4/3/2001
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The Texas attorney general issued an opinion in March, 2000 prohibiting a
member of the Gilmer Volunteer Fire Department from simultaneously serving
as a member of the city council of the City of Gilmer.  The attorney
general concluded that such an action would implicate the common law
doctrine of selfemployment incompatibility that bars an individual from
holding two positions, one of which is immediately or ultimately answerable
to the other.  The attorney general noted that the Gilmer fire department
volunteers are not truly unpaid and that the fire chief elected by the
volunteer fire department must be approved or denied by the city council.   

As many city charters allow for a modest level of compensation for
volunteer fire fighters, the distinction between "volunteer" and "employee"
can blur.  Volunteers such as reserve police officers, volunteer emergency
medical service technicians, and volunteer librarians make important
contributions to small communities whether they are uncompensated or
modestly compensated for their service.  Senate Bill 738 allows a member of
the governing body of a municipality to serve as a volunteer for an
organization regardless of whether the organization is funded or supported
by the municipality. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

Senate Bill 738 amends the Local Government Code to authorize a member of
the governing body of a municipality to serve as a volunteer for any
organization that protects the health, safety, or welfare of the
municipality if the governing body of the municipality adopts a resolution
allowing members of the governing body to perform service of that nature. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.