By Najera                                             H.B. No. 3427
         76R6362 DB-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to home ownership counseling for displaced workers.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  The chapter heading to Chapter 304, Labor Code,
 1-5     is amended to read as follows:
 1-6                    CHAPTER 304.  [EMPLOYMENT] COUNSELING
 1-7                     FOR DISPLACED HOMEMAKERS OR WORKERS
 1-8           SECTION 2.  Chapter 304, Labor Code, is amended by adding
 1-9     Section 304.005 to read as follows:
1-10           Sec. 304.005.  HOME OWNERSHIP COUNSELING FOR DISPLACED
1-11     WORKERS.  (a)  The commission shall provide written notice in
1-12     English and in Spanish of eligibility for home ownership counseling
1-13     under federal law to each worker residing in this state who is
1-14     eligible for home ownership counseling under 12 U.S.C. Section
1-15     1701x, as amended, and who:
1-16                 (1)  is covered by a certification of eligibility for
1-17     adjustment assistance under 19 U.S.C. Section 2331, as amended; or
1-18                 (2)  is threatened to become totally or partially
1-19     separated, or has become totally or partially separated, from a
1-20     firm that is certified eligible for adjustment assistance under 19
1-21     U.S.C. Section 2341, as amended.
1-22           (b)  The notice must contain:
1-23                 (1)  a list of home ownership counseling organizations
1-24     that:
 2-1                       (A)  receive assistance under 12 U.S.C. Section
 2-2     1701x, as amended; and
 2-3                       (B)  serve the area in which the worker's home is
 2-4     located; or
 2-5                 (2)  any toll-free telephone number through which the
 2-6     worker can obtain the list prescribed by Subdivision (1).
 2-7           (c)  A firm located in this state that has requested a
 2-8     certification of eligibility for adjustment assistance under 19
 2-9     U.S.C. Section 2341, as amended, shall notify the commission of
2-10     that request.
2-11           (d)  In this section, "firm" has the meaning assigned by 19
2-12     U.S.C. Section 2351, as amended.
2-13           SECTION 3.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
2-14     to:
2-15                 (1)  a worker who is covered by a certification of
2-16     eligibility issued on or after the effective date of this Act;
2-17                 (2)  a worker who is employed by a person who is
2-18     covered by a certification of eligibility issued on  or after the
2-19     effective date of this Act; or
2-20                 (3)  a firm that has requested a certification of
2-21     eligibility on or after the effective date of this Act.
2-22           SECTION 4.   This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-23           SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-24     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-25     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-26     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-27     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.