HBA-TYH, RAR H.B. 501 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 501
By: Tillery
Economic Development
2/11/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, an individual may be disqualified for unemployment benefits if
the individual is unemployed due to a labor dispute occurring at another
workplace.  H.B. 501 deletes a labor dispute occurring at another workplace
from the disqualifications for unemployment benefits.  The bill also adds
an individual's lock out from the place of employment or the individual's
placement on emergency leave without pay as exceptions to disqualification
for unemployment benefits due to a labor dispute. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Subsections (a), (b), and (f) and adds Subsection (g),
Section 207.048, Labor Code, as follows: 

(a)  Deletes from the causes for disqualification for benefits during a
period of total or partial unemployment, a labor dispute at another place
that is owned or operated by the same employing  unit that owns or operates
the premises where the individual is or was last employed and supplies
material or services necessary to the continued and usual operation of the
premises where the individual is or was last employed.  Makes
nonsubstantive changes. 

(b)  Includes in the exceptions from disqualification for benefits an
individual that has been locked out of the place of work or has been placed
on emergency leave without pay by the employer.  Provides that each
exception is independent from the others by using "or," rather that "and,"
in the listing of exceptions. 

(f)  Defines "lock out"and creates Subdivision (2) from existing text.

(g)  Provides that the payment of regular union dues by an individual does
not constitute financing a labor dispute, for purposes of Subsection (b).

SECTION 2.  Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.