1-1 By: Maxey (Senate Sponsor - Gallegos) H.B. No. 220
1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House April 1, 1997;
1-3 April 2, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on State
1-4 Affairs; May 16, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote:
1-5 Yeas 13, Nays 0; May 16, 1997, sent to printer.)
1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-7 AN ACT
1-8 relating to discrimination in employment based on certain perceived
1-9 disabilities.
1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11 SECTION 1. Section 21.002(6), Labor Code, is amended to read
1-12 as follows:
1-13 (6) "Disability" means, with respect to an individual,
1-14 a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits at least
1-15 one major life activity of that individual, a record of such an
1-16 impairment, or being regarded as having such an impairment. The
1-17 term does not include:
1-18 (A) a current condition of addiction to the use
1-19 of alcohol, a drug, an illegal substance, or a federally controlled
1-20 substance; or
1-21 (B) a currently communicable disease or
1-22 infection as defined in Section 81.003, Health and Safety Code, or
1-23 required to be reported under Section 81.041, Health and Safety
1-24 Code, [including acquired immune deficiency syndrome or infection
1-25 with the human immunodeficiency virus,] that constitutes a direct
1-26 threat to the health or safety of other persons or that makes the
1-27 affected person unable to perform the duties of the person's
1-28 employment.
1-29 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the
1-30 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-31 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-32 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-33 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
1-34 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
1-35 passage, and it is so enacted.
1-36 * * * * *