By Naishtat                                            H.B. No. 476
         77R2907 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. Not later than January 1, 2002, the Texas
3-11     Workforce Commission shall develop the job placement incentive
3-12     program required by Section 302.009, Labor Code, as added by this
3-13     Act, and the postemployment services guidelines required by Section
3-14     302.010, Labor Code, as added by this Act.
3-15           SECTION 3. If before implementing any provision of this Act a
3-16     state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
3-17     federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,
3-18     the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or
3-19     authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the
3-20     waiver or authorization is granted.
3-21           SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.