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.