HBA-NLM S.B. 1507 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 1507
By: Truan
Economic Development
5/3/1999
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The federal government has created two programs, the Trade Adjustment
Assistance (TAA) program and the NAFTA Trade Adjustment Assistance Programs
(NTAAP) which provide training and income support for workers who have lost
their jobs due to increased trade or production shifts. Training under TAA
and NTAAP must be completed within 104 weeks.  Therefore, the training
programs must be designed to efficiently prepare workers to enter into
high-wage, high skill jobs. S.B. 1507 requires the Texas Workforce
Commission to evaluate the federal trade adjustment programs designed to
assist certain persons in obtaining employment. 

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 Chapter 302A, Labor Code, by adding Section 302.006, as
follows: 

Sec. 302.006.  REPORT ON TRADE ADJUSTMENT PROGRAMS.  Requires the Texas
Workforce Commission (commission) to submit an annual report to the
legislature on the effectiveness of federal programs designed to provide
trade adjustment assistance to persons in this state.  Sets forth certain
information  required to be included in the report regarding persons who
have participated in a program. 

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

(b)  Requires the Texas Workforce Commission to submit the first report
required by this Act by January 1, 2000. 

SECTION 3.Emergency clause.