SRC-TBR, JBJ S.B. 160 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 160
77R539 KLA-DBy: Zaffirini
Health & Human Services
3/30/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, local workforce contractors are evaluated on their ability to
place workers in a job.  As proposed, S.B. 160 provides incentives for
local workforce board contractors to place workers in higher-wage jobs. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Workforce Commission
in SECTION 1 (Sections 302.009 and 302.010, Labor Code) of this bill. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 302A, Labor Code, by adding Sections 302.009,
302.010, and 302.011, as follows: 

Sec. 302.009. JOB PLACEMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM. (a) Requires the Texas
Workforce Commission (commission) to develop, by rule, a job placement
incentive program under which persons with whom local workforce development
boards contract for employment services under Chapter 2308 (Workforce and
Economic Competitiveness Act), Government Code, are provided incentives for
placing recipients of financial assistance participating in employment
programs under Chapter 31 (Financial Assistance and Service Programs),
Human Resources Code, in higher-wage jobs, as determined by the commission. 

(b) Requires the commission, in developing guidelines for the job placement
incentive program, to: 

     _define measures for higher-wage jobs based on locally appropriate
indicators of the wages necessary to lift recipients of employment services
out of poverty and into self-sufficiency; and 

     _involve representatives of local workforce development boards in
developing guidelines for the program and the measures for higher-wage
jobs. 

(c) Requires the commission to administer the job placement incentive
program through the local workforce development boards. 

Sec. 302.010. POSTEMPLOYMENT SERVICES GUIDELINES. (a) Requires the
commission to develop, by rule, guidelines under which local workforce
development boards provide postemployment services to a recipient of
financial assistance participating in an employment program under Chapter
31, Human Resources Code. 

(b) Requires the commission to consider, in developing the guidelines, the
difficulties the recipient is likely to encounter in acquiring additional
education and training after becoming employed. 
 
(c) Requires the commission to assist local workforce development boards in
meeting the guidelines by providing information about model programs and
best practices, including employer involvement in past employment services. 

(d) Requires the commission to involve representatives of local workforce
development boards and other appropriate organizations in developing the
guidelines and identifying model programs and best practices. 

Sec. 302.011. POSTEMPLOYMENT CASE MANAGEMENT.  Requires the commission to
encourage local workforce development boards to provide postemployment case
management services for recipients of financial assistance who participate
in employment programs under Chapter 31, Human Resources Code, and have, in
comparison to other recipients, higher levels of barriers to employment. 

SECTION 2. Requires the commission to develop, not later than January 1,
2002, the job placement incentive program and the postemployment services
guidelines as required by this Act. 

SECTION 3. Requires, if before implementing any provision of this Act a
state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a federal
agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, the agency
affected by the provision to request the waiver or authorization.
Authorizes the agency to delay implementing that provision until the waiver
or authorization is granted. 

SECTION 4.  Effective date: September 1, 2001.