By Naishtat, Solis, Seaman, Keffer, Villarreal H.B. No. 476 77R8429 KLA-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to incentive programs and employment services to benefit 1-3 certain recipients of financial assistance. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 302, Labor Code, is amended 1-6 by adding Sections 302.009, 302.010, and 302.011 to read as 1-7 follows: 1-8 Sec. 302.009. JOB PLACEMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM. (a) The 1-9 commission by rule shall develop a job placement incentive program 1-10 under which persons with whom local workforce development boards 1-11 contract for employment services under Chapter 2308, Government 1-12 Code, are provided incentives for placing recipients of financial 1-13 assistance participating in employment programs under Chapter 31, 1-14 Human Resources Code, in higher-wage jobs, as determined by the 1-15 commission. 1-16 (b) In developing guidelines for the job placement incentive 1-17 program, the commission shall: 1-18 (1) define measures for higher-wage jobs based on: 1-19 (A) locally appropriate indicators of the wages 1-20 necessary to lift recipients of employment services out of poverty 1-21 and into self-sufficiency; and 1-22 (B) the self-sufficiency wage developed for each 1-23 local workforce development board under the Workforce Investment 1-24 Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. Section 2801 et seq.); and 2-1 (2) involve representatives of local workforce 2-2 development boards in developing guidelines for the program and the 2-3 measures for higher-wage jobs. 2-4 (c) The commission shall administer the job placement 2-5 incentive program through the local workforce development boards. 2-6 (d) A local workforce development board that provides a 2-7 monetary incentive under the job placement incentive program to a 2-8 person with whom the board contracts for employment services shall 2-9 require the person to use the money for expenses relating to 2-10 education, training, and support services necessary to prepare, 2-11 place, and maintain recipients of financial assistance in jobs 2-12 paying wages that allow those recipients to attain 2-13 self-sufficiency. 2-14 Sec. 302.010. POSTEMPLOYMENT SERVICES GUIDELINES. (a) The 2-15 commission by rule shall develop guidelines under which local 2-16 workforce development boards provide postemployment services to a 2-17 recipient of financial assistance participating in an employment 2-18 program under Chapter 31, Human Resources Code. 2-19 (b) In developing the guidelines, the commission must 2-20 consider the difficulties the recipient is likely to encounter in 2-21 acquiring additional education and training after becoming 2-22 employed. 2-23 (c) The commission shall assist local workforce development 2-24 boards in meeting the guidelines by providing information about 2-25 model programs and best practices, including employer involvement 2-26 in past employment services. 2-27 (d) The commission shall involve representatives of local 3-1 workforce development boards and other appropriate organizations in 3-2 developing the guidelines and identifying model programs and best 3-3 practices. 3-4 Sec. 302.011. POSTEMPLOYMENT CASE MANAGEMENT. The commission 3-5 shall encourage local workforce development boards to provide 3-6 postemployment case management services for recipients of financial 3-7 assistance who participate in employment programs under Chapter 31, 3-8 Human Resources Code, and have, in comparison to other recipients, 3-9 higher levels of barriers to employment. 3-10 SECTION 2. Subject to the appropriation of funds for that 3-11 purpose, the Texas Workforce Commission shall develop the job 3-12 placement incentive program required by Section 302.009, Labor 3-13 Code, as added by this Act, and the postemployment services 3-14 guidelines required by Section 302.010, Labor Code, as added by 3-15 this Act, not later than January 1, 2002. 3-16 SECTION 3. If before implementing any provision of this Act a 3-17 state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a 3-18 federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, 3-19 the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or 3-20 authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the 3-21 waiver or authorization is granted. 3-22 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.