Texas Local Government Code 142.114 – Ratification and Enforceability of Agreement
(a) An agreement under this subchapter is enforceable and binding on the public employer, the recognized firefighters association, and the firefighters covered by the meet and confer agreement only if:
(1) the governing body of the municipality ratified the agreement by a majority vote; and
(2) the recognized firefighters association ratified the agreement by conducting a secret ballot election at which only the firefighters of the municipality in the association were eligible to vote, and a majority of the votes cast at the election favored ratifying the agreement.
(b) A meet and confer agreement ratified as described by Subsection (a) may establish a procedure by which the parties agree to resolve disputes related to a right, duty, or obligation provided by the agreement, including binding arbitration on a question involving interpretation of the agreement.
Terms Used In Texas Local Government Code 142.114
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Municipality: means a general-law municipality, home-rule municipality, or special-law municipality. See Texas Local Government Code 1.005
- Obligation: An order placed, contract awarded, service received, or similar transaction during a given period that will require payments during the same or a future period.
- Writ: A formal written command, issued from the court, requiring the performance of a specific act.
(c) A state district court of a judicial district in which the municipality is located has jurisdiction to hear and resolve a dispute under the ratified meet and confer agreement on the application of a party to the agreement aggrieved by an action or omission of the other party when the action or omission is related to a right, duty, or obligation provided by the agreement. The court may issue proper restraining orders, temporary and permanent injunctions, or any other writ, order, or process, including contempt orders, that are appropriate to enforcing the agreement.