HBA-MPA H.B. 2657 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2657
By: Elkins
Economic Development
4/11/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the state is lacking specific guidelines to define a work search
by persons on unemployment.  H.B. 2657 requires a person on unemployment to
keep a log of daily contacts for two years in the case of an audit. 

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 Section 207.047, Labor Code, by amending Subsection (a)
and adding Subsection (c), as follows: 

Sec. 207.047.  FAILURE TO APPLY FOR, ACCEPT, OR RETURN TO WORK.  (a)
Provides that an individual is disqualified for benefits if during the
current benefit year the individual failed, without good cause, to apply on
a daily basis for available, suitable work regardless of whether, rather
than when, directed to do so by the commission, or accept suitable work
offered to the individual,  including work offered before the date the
claim was filed. 

(c)  Authorizes the Texas Workforce Commission to direct the individual to
maintain, for at least two years, records of the search for employment for
the purposes of Subsection (a)(1), including a list of daily contacts and
the signature of each prospective employer contacted. 

SECTION 2.  (a) Effective date: September 1, 1999.

(b) Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.