By: Raymond (Senate Sponsor - Zaffirini) H.B. No. 753 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 6, 2011; May 9, 2011, read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human Services; May 18, 2011, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 18, 2011, sent to printer.) A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the recruitment and retention of certain caseworkers employed by the Department of Family and Protective Services. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 40, Human Resources Code, is amended by adding Sections 40.0327 and 40.0328 to read as follows: Sec. 40.0327. PREEMPLOYMENT ASSESSMENT; PREFERENCE. (a) The department shall use special assessment tools in screening applicants for employment with the child protective services division in order to match an applicant with the position in the division for which an applicant would be best suited based on the applicant's skills, personality traits, and experience. (b) The department shall give favorable consideration to an applicant for an entry-level caseworker position who has a master's degree or bachelor's degree in social work over other applicants who have comparable skills. Sec. 40.0328. SALARY STUDY. (a) The department shall study the salaries of each type of child protective services caseworker to determine the role salary plays in the recruitment and retention of caseworkers and in the turnover rate for each type of caseworker. (b) Not later than December 1, 2012, the department shall report the results of the study and any recommendations to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and standing committee of each house of the legislature with jurisdiction over the department. (c) The commission shall consider contracting with an institution of higher education, as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code, to perform the study required by this section. (d) This section expires September 1, 2013. SECTION 2. 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, 2011. * * * * *