H.B. No. 753 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. ______________________________ ______________________________ President of the Senate Speaker of the House I certify that H.B. No. 753 was passed by the House on May 5, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 140, Nays 6, 1 present, not voting; that the House refused to concur in Senate amendments to H.B. No. 753 on May 25, 2011, and requested the appointment of a conference committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and that the House adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No. 753 on May 29, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 116, Nays 27, 2 present, not voting. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House I certify that H.B. No. 753 was passed by the Senate, with amendments, on May 20, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 2; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No. 753 on May 29, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 2 . ______________________________ Secretary of the Senate APPROVED: __________________ Date __________________ Governor