SRC-DBM S.B. 1507 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 1507 76R1956 JMM-DBy: Truan Human Services 4/19/1999 As Filed DIGEST The federal government has created two programs, the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program and the NATA Trade Adjustment Assistance Programs (NAFTA) which provide training and income support for workers who have lost their jobs due to increased trade or production shifts.. Training under TAA and NAFTA 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 would require the Texas Workforce Commission to evaluate the federal trade adjustment programs designed to assist certain persons in obtaining employment. PURPOSE As proposed, 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 This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 302A, Labor Code, by adding Section 302.006, as follows: Sec. 302.006. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR TRADE ADJUSTMENT PROGRAMS. Requires the Texas Workforce Commission (commission) to adopt standards to be used in evaluating the effectiveness of federal programs designed to provide trade adjustment assistance to persons in this state. Requires the commission, in adopting performance standards, to evaluate the number of persons who enter employment after participation in a program by Subsection (a) and the number of persons who have increased income as the result of participation in the program. Authorizes the commission to consider, in making the evaluation required by this subsection, certain factors regarding a person. SECTION 2.(a) Effective date: September 1, 1999. (b) Requires the Texas Workforce Commission to adopt performance standards by January 1, 2000. SECTION 3.Emergency clause.