1-1 By: Ellis S.B. No. 1688 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 14, 1997; March 24, 1997, read 1-3 first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs; 1-4 April 18, 1997, reported favorably, as amended, by the following 1-5 vote: Yeas 13, Nays 0; April 18, 1997, sent to printer.) 1-6 COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1 By: Ellis 1-7 Amend S.B. No. 1688 in SECTION 1 of the bill, in proposed Section 1-8 2155.449(a), Government Code (page 1, line 30), strike "six" and 1-9 substitute "four". 1-10 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-11 AN ACT 1-12 relating to a preference given to bidders who hire recipients of 1-13 financial assistance and services. 1-14 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-15 SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 2155, Government Code, is 1-16 amended by adding Section 2155.449 to read as follows: 1-17 Sec. 2155.449. PREFERENCE FOR BIDDERS WHO HIRE RECIPIENTS OF 1-18 FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. (a) Except as provided in Subsection (c), 1-19 the commission and state agencies shall give preference to a bidder 1-20 who has received a tax refund voucher under Section 31.072, Human 1-21 Resources Code, if the voucher covers at least one employee who has 1-22 also: 1-23 (1) been hired by the bidder no more than one calendar 1-24 year before the date the bid is received by the commission or the 1-25 state agency; 1-26 (2) been employed by the bidder for at least 30 days 1-27 at the time the bid is received by the commission or the state 1-28 agency; and 1-29 (3) worked for the bidder an average of 20 hours per 1-30 week or more for the six weeks before the bid is received by the 1-31 commission or the state agency. 1-32 (b) Except as provided in Subsection (c), the commission and 1-33 state agencies shall give preference to a bidder who agrees to: 1-34 (1) take the steps necessary to become eligible for a 1-35 tax refund voucher under Section 31.072, Human Resources Code; and 1-36 (2) hire at least one recipient of financial 1-37 assistance and services under Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, to 1-38 work for an average of 20 hours per week or more. 1-39 (c) Subsections (a) and (b) shall apply only to a contract 1-40 awarded through a competitive procurement procedure. 1-41 (d) A bidder shall not retaliate against an employee who 1-42 fails or refuses to reveal whether the employee receives financial 1-43 assistance and services under Chapter 31, Human Resources Code. 1-44 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997, and 1-45 applies only to a bidder who responds to a request for proposal, an 1-46 invitation to bid, or another procurement mechanism published on or 1-47 after the effective date of this Act. 1-48 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-49 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-50 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-51 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-52 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 1-53 * * * * *