Bill Text: TX HB635 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to authority for certain state employees to work flexible hours and to work from home or other authorized alternative work sites.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-11-12 - Filed [HB635 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-HB635-Introduced.html
89R2349 CJC-D | ||
By: Flores | H.B. No. 635 |
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relating to authority for certain state employees to work flexible | ||
hours and to work from home or other authorized alternative work | ||
sites. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 658.006, Government Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
Sec. 658.006. VARIED [ |
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Normal working hours for employees of a state agency may be | ||
staggered for traffic regulation or public safety. | ||
(b) An employee who works from an alternative work site as | ||
part of a policy approved under Section 658.010 may, with the | ||
approval of the employee's supervisor, complete all or part of the | ||
employee's work hours at times other than the regular working hours | ||
established under Section 658.005. | ||
SECTION 2. Section 658.010, Government Code, is amended by | ||
amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsections (c), (d), and (e) to | ||
read as follows: | ||
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), the [ |
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employee's personal residence may not be considered the employee's | ||
regular or assigned temporary place of employment without prior | ||
written authorization from the administrative head of the employing | ||
state agency. | ||
(c) The administrative head of a state agency may adopt an | ||
agency policy that authorizes the supervisor of an employee of the | ||
agency to permit the employee to work from an alternative work site, | ||
including the employee's personal residence, as the employee's | ||
regular or assigned temporary place of employment. | ||
(d) A policy adopted under Subsection (c) must: | ||
(1) identify factors the state agency will consider in | ||
evaluating whether a position is suitable for an alternative work | ||
site, including whether: | ||
(A) the position requires on-site resources; | ||
(B) the provision of in-person service is | ||
essential to the position; and | ||
(C) in-person interaction is essential to the | ||
position; | ||
(2) require an employee who will work from an | ||
alternative work site to enter into an agreement with the state | ||
agency that establishes the employee's responsibilities and the | ||
requirements for communicating with and reporting to the agency; | ||
and | ||
(3) provide for the revocation of an employee's | ||
permission to work from an alternative work site if: | ||
(A) the position is no longer suitable for an | ||
alternative work site based on the factors identified under | ||
Subdivision (1); or | ||
(B) the employee violates the agreement entered | ||
into under Subdivision (2). | ||
(e) Not later than November 1 of each even-numbered year, | ||
the state auditor's office shall compile and submit a report to the | ||
legislature providing information about policies adopted under | ||
Subsection (c). The Department of Information Resources and the | ||
Texas A&M Transportation Institute may assist in creating the | ||
report. The report must include: | ||
(1) a list of state agencies that have adopted a | ||
policy; | ||
(2) an estimate of the number of employees who work | ||
from an alternative work site as permitted under a policy; | ||
(3) a summary of the results of a survey provided to | ||
state agencies that have adopted a policy that includes a | ||
discussion of: | ||
(A) the requirements of each agency's policy; | ||
(B) the productivity, efficiency, and value to | ||
taxpayers of employees working from an alternative work site as | ||
permitted under a policy; and | ||
(C) the collective effect of agency policies on | ||
traffic congestion; and | ||
(4) any other information the state auditor's office | ||
determines to be relevant and beneficial. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |