House OKs state worker leave for CASA volunteering
April 27th, 2009
Statesman.com
The House today gave final approval to a bill that gives state employees paid time off to volunteer with Court Appointed Special Advocates, a group that advocates for abused and neglected children.
The proposal, House Bill 1462, prompted some 20 minutes of bickering over whether it violates peoples’ rights or diminishes volunteers, but eventually it passed 87-57.
“We’re taking taxpayer money and we’re paying people to do a job,” said Rep. Debbie Riddle, R-Tomball.
Under the bill, state workers could take five hours of paid leave a month to work for CASA, which would not be deducted from vacation time, sick leave, earned overtime credit or state compensatory time.
A floor amendment by Jim McReynolds, D-Lufkin, would exclude employees for the Texas Youth Commission, Texas Department of Criminal Justice and the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission.
The House rejected an amendment from Rep. Wayne Christian, R-Center, that would have expanded the bill to other charities.
In 2008, there were 44,928 children in the state’s custody, and more than 25,000 of those did not have a Court Appointed Special Advocate, according to Joe Gagen, CEO of Texas CASA.