SRC-TNM H.B. 425 75(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center H.B. 425 By: Raymond (Ellis) State Affairs 4-28-97 Engrossed DIGEST Currently, working couples, single parents, and those caring for elderly family members must balance work and family responsibilities. With increasing child-care and nursing home care costs these individuals are finding it more difficult to juggle work and family responsibilities. Because state government is Texas' largest employer, it can be instrumental in the development of policies that address family problems which contribute to decreased productivity, lost work time, increased health risks, tardiness, absenteeism, and poor morale. H.B. 425 would add a representative of the Child Care Development Board and two representatives of state agencies to the Work and Family Policies Advisory Committee to assist state agencies in developing policies to help employees meet work and family responsibilities. PURPOSE As proposed, H.B. 425 outlines provisions regarding the policies of state agencies regarding work and family issues. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 81.002(b), Labor Code, to require the executive director, rather than the administrator, of the Texas Workforce Commission to appoint the members of the Work and Family Policies Advisory Committee (committee). Requires one member of the committee to be a representative of the Child Care Development Board. SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 81, Labor Code, by adding Section 81.009, as follows: Sec. 81.009. WORK-FAMILY FACILITATOR. Authorizes the clearinghouse to assign an employee to serve as a work-family facilitator who shall be responsible for assisting state employees in developing work policies that assist agency employees in meeting their responsibilities to their work and to their families. SECTION 3. (a) Effective date: September 1, 1997. (b) Provides that no state agency may adopt rules or policies or take any other action which violates the fundamental right and duty of a parent to direct the upbringing of the parent's child. SECTION 4. Emergency clause.