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| Texas governor vetoes bill designed to aid prison officers |
| By Houston Chronicle |
| Published: 07/02/2001 |
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While lawmakers addressed a critical shortage of prison officers with a pay raise, a bill to improve working conditions was among 82 bills vetoed recently by Gov. Rick Perry. Union leaders criticized Perry for killing House Bill 3185, which addressed personnel policies at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Dee Simpson, Texas political director for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said the bill would have helped the state recruit and retain correctional officers. He said the state is short about 3,200 officers, and pay is only part of the problem. The bill would have required TDCJ to create a career ladder tied to training, experience and performance, hold regular employee-management meetings to air disputes, require supervisors to receive training before promotion, provide correction officers with training to advance, conduct exit interviews and report to the Legislature every two years on success in recruiting and retaining officers. Simpson said the bill received bipartisan support in the House and Senate and passed both chambers without opposition. In vetoing the bill, Perry said its goals are being addressed by the Texas Board of Criminal Justice. Lawmakers included $123 million in raises for prison officers to boost the starting salary to $20,592, as well as increase salaries for experienced officers. The pay raise was settled early in the session, partly as a response to the escape of seven violent felons accused of killing a police officer after their escape. |
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