Opinion ID: 895199
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Jurisdiction of a Hearing Examiner

Text: In City of Pasadena v. Smith, 292 S.W.3d 14 (Tex.2009), decided after the court of appeals' decision in this case, we considered jurisdictional boundaries in appeals from disciplinary suspensions under the Act. There, the hearing examiner summarily ruled against the city because the department head was not present to testify when the hearing began. Id. at 16. In analyzing the examiner's actions, we noted that the deadlines, procedures, and limitations the Act provides as to the Civil Service Commission apply equally to hearing examiners. Id. at 20. Those deadlines, procedures, and limitations necessarily provide standards by which the actions of examiners must be measured; otherwise, the Act could raise concerns that it impermissibly delegates legislative authority: But if the Act does not bind hearing examiners to definite standards for reaching decisions and instead gives them broad latitude in determining not only factual disputes but the applicable law, they become not merely independent arbiters but policy makers, which is a legislative function. This would raise nondelegation concerns, an issue noted but not addressed in Proctor [ v. Andrews, 972 S.W.2d 729 (Tex.1998)]. It is one thing for a hearing examiner to determine whether conduct for which an officer or fire fighter has been disciplined occurred as charged; it is quite another thing for a hearing examiner to decide whether conduct that did occur deserves discipline. Id. at 18-19. We held that a hearing examiner is not authorized to make rules, but must follow those prescribed by the Legislature and that the Act both confers and limits the power of a hearing examiner. Id. at 20; see TEX. LOC. GOV'T CODE § 143.010(g). We acknowledged the difficulty of stating a test for determining when a hearing examiner exceeds his jurisdiction: The most accurate test we can state is that a hearing examiner exceeds his jurisdiction when his acts are not authorized by the Act or are contrary to it, or when they invade the policy-setting realm protected by the nondelegation doctrine. City of Pasadena, 292 S.W.3d at 21. Because the hearing examiner in City of Pasadena refused to hear evidence and did not make his decision based on evidence submitted during the hearing as the Act requires, he exceeded his jurisdiction. Id. at 20-21. Because the City of Waco does not argue that the Act impermissibly delegates legislative authority, we will focus on whether the hearing examiner exceeded his jurisdiction by ordering either relief not authorized by the Act or relief contrary to that authorized by the Act. See id. at 21. Making that determination requires us to consider what actions the Act authorized the hearing examiner to take and to measure the examiner's actions against those authorized actions. In construing the statute to determine what relief it authorizes, we keep in mind that our objective is to determine and give effect to the Legislature's intent. Leland v. Brandal, 257 S.W.3d 204, 206 (Tex.2008). If the Legislature provides definitions for words it uses in statutes, then we use those definitions in our task. See TEX. GOV'T CODE § 311.011(b). We give effect to legislative intent as it is expressed by the plain meaning of words used in the statute unless the context necessarily requires a different construction, a different construction is expressly provided by statute, or such an interpretation would lead to absurd or nonsensical results. See Hernandez v. Ebrom, 289 S.W.3d 316, 321 (Tex.2009); Fleming Foods of Tex., Inc. v. Rylander, 6 S.W.3d 278, 284 (Tex.1999). Thus, we also must examine the Legislature's words in context of the statute as a whole and not consider words or parts of the statute in isolation. Harris County Hosp. Dist. v. Tomball Reg'l Hosp., 283 S.W.3d 838, 842 (Tex.2009). Our review is de novo. See City of San Antonio v. City of Boerne, 111 S.W.3d 22, 25 (Tex.2003) (We review matters of statutory construction de novo.); see also Provident Life & Accident Ins. Co. v. Knott, 128 S.W.3d 211, 215 (Tex. 2003) (We review the trial court's summary judgment de novo.).
If a classified officer is involuntarily suspended, the officer may appeal the suspension to either the commission or an independent third party hearing examiner. TEX. LOC. GOV'T CODE § 143.057(a). If appeal is to a hearing examiner, the examiner has the same duties and powers as the commission. Id. § 143.057(f). The ultimate decision options of the commission and hearing examinerare specified in Section 143.053: (e) In its decision, the commission shall state whether the suspended fire fighter or police officer is: (1) permanently dismissed from the fire or police department; (2) temporarily suspended from the department; or (3) restored to the person's former position or status in the department's classified service. (f) If the commission finds that the period of disciplinary suspension should be reduced, the commission may order a reduction in the period of suspension. Id. § 143.053(e)-(f). Officers appointed and serving in positions immediately below the department head, as Kelley was, do not have civil service protection. Id. § 143.021(b). Nevertheless, if an officer serving in such a position is indefinitely suspended, the Act affords that officer the same rights to a hearing that a classified officer would have: (h) If a person appointed under this section is charged with an offense in violation of civil service rules and indefinitely suspended by the department head, the person has the same rights and privileges of a hearing before the commission in the same manner and under the same conditions as a classified employee. If the commission, a hearing examiner, or a court of competent jurisdiction finds the charges to be untrue or unfounded, the person shall immediately be restored to the same classification, or its equivalent, that the person held before appointment. The person has all the rights and privileges of the prior position according to seniority, and shall be repaid for any lost wages. Id. § 143.014(h) (emphasis added). In addition to providing for the right to a hearing, Section 143.014(h) specifies what decision the hearing examiner must render if charges against the officer are found to be untrue: the officer must be restored to the same or an equivalent classification as the position the officer held before being appointed to the position just below department head. The section thus provides the limit of a hearing officer's jurisdiction if the examiner finds the charges to be untrue, but it does not specify what decisions can be rendered if the charges are found to be true. In contrast, Sections 143.053(e) and (f) specify the decisions that a hearing examiner may render and necessarily establish the hearing examiner's jurisdiction when the charges against an officer are found to be true. First, the suspended officer may be dismissed from the department. Id. § 143.053(e)(1). Second, the officer may be temporarily suspended. Id. § 143.053(e)(2). Third, the officer may be restored to the officer's former position or status in the department's classified service. Id. § 143.053(e)(3). The Act specifies that if the examiner finds the period of disciplinary suspension should be reduced, the examiner may reduce it. Id. § 143.053(f). Further, if the examiner's decision is that the officer is not to be suspended or dismissed, then the only choice left to the examiner is for the officer to be restored to the officer's former position or status in the department's classified service, and the officer is entitled to wages and benefits for the actual time lost as a result of the suspension. Id.