Relating to the procedures and practices of the Texas Juvenile Justice Department regarding grievances submitted by department employees and former department employees and to the eligibility of a person to be appointed to the department's release review panel and the authority of a panel member.

Contracts

• HR & Staffing Vendors: If your Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with TJJD include timelines for "independent dismissal mediation," these terms are now void. You must amend contracts to reflect the streamlined grievance process.
• Legal Retainers: Outside counsel representing state employees must revise engagement letters and defense strategies to account for the removal of the mediation phase in termination disputes.

Hiring/Training

• Release Panelists: Training is required immediately for new panelists drawn from outside the central office. They must be trained on the new statutory prohibition against ruling on any child for whom they have previously made a "supervisory decision."
• Competitive Benchmarking: Private juvenile facility operators should note that state JCOs may now elect a 40-hour lump sum vacation payout annually starting FY 2026. Review your retention benefits to ensure you remain competitive with this increased liquidity in state compensation.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

• Conflict of Interest Logs: You must implement a mandatory cross-reference check for every release panel member against the specific juvenile’s supervision history. Document that the panelist has never issued a disciplinary or supervisory directive regarding that detainee.
• Leave Election Forms: Payroll administrators for the department must create election forms for the 40-hour leave buy-back program prior to the start of Fiscal Year 2026.

Fees & Costs

• Litigation Costs: Expect a potential increase in Employment Practices Liability (EPLI) claims. The removal of the mediation "cooling off" period may lead to a higher volume of immediate wrongful termination lawsuits.
• Budget Impact: While no new fees are levied on business, the state has allocated up to $2.3M for leave payouts; contractors should anticipate no pass-through costs but should monitor for indirect budget tightening in other areas.