Relating to the payment of employment compensation to state employees.

HB 1659 requires certain state employees in designated agencies to be paid twice monthly instead of once monthly. It applies to employees in the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, Transportation, Human Services, Workforce Commission, Public Safety, or other agencies designated by the comptroller, provided they hold classified positions below salary group A12 and at least 30% of eligible employees in their agency choose this payment method. The bill establishes specific payment dates: the first working day after the 15th for the first half-month and the first working day after the last half for the second half. It also mandates electronic payment for most employees and updates timing rules for the comptroller's payroll processing.