1-1 By: Naishtat, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Zaffirini) H.B. No. 476 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 7, 2001; 1-3 May 7, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on Health 1-4 and Human Services; May 11, 2001, reported favorably by the 1-5 following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 11, 2001, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to incentive programs and employment services to benefit 1-9 certain recipients of financial assistance. 1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-11 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 302, Labor Code, is amended 1-12 by adding Sections 302.009, 302.010, and 302.011 to read as 1-13 follows: 1-14 Sec. 302.009. JOB PLACEMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM. (a) The 1-15 commission by rule shall develop a job placement incentive program 1-16 under which persons with whom local workforce development boards 1-17 contract for employment services under Chapter 2308, Government 1-18 Code, are provided incentives for placing recipients of financial 1-19 assistance participating in employment programs under Chapter 31, 1-20 Human Resources Code, in higher-wage jobs, as determined by the 1-21 commission. 1-22 (b) In developing guidelines for the job placement incentive 1-23 program, the commission shall: 1-24 (1) define measures for higher-wage jobs based on: 1-25 (A) locally appropriate indicators of the wages 1-26 necessary to lift recipients of employment services out of poverty 1-27 and into self-sufficiency; and 1-28 (B) the self-sufficiency wage developed for each 1-29 local workforce development board under the Workforce Investment 1-30 Act of 1998 (29 U.S.C. Section 2801 et seq.); and 1-31 (2) involve representatives of local workforce 1-32 development boards in developing guidelines for the program and the 1-33 measures for higher-wage jobs. 1-34 (c) The commission shall administer the job placement 1-35 incentive program through the local workforce development boards. 1-36 (d) A local workforce development board that provides a 1-37 monetary incentive under the job placement incentive program to a 1-38 person with whom the board contracts for employment services shall 1-39 require the person to use the money for expenses relating to 1-40 education, training, and support services necessary to prepare, 1-41 place, and maintain recipients of financial assistance in jobs 1-42 paying wages that allow those recipients to attain 1-43 self-sufficiency. 1-44 Sec. 302.010. POSTEMPLOYMENT SERVICES GUIDELINES. (a) The 1-45 commission by rule shall develop guidelines under which local 1-46 workforce development boards provide postemployment services to a 1-47 recipient of financial assistance participating in an employment 1-48 program under Chapter 31, Human Resources Code. 1-49 (b) In developing the guidelines, the commission must 1-50 consider the difficulties the recipient is likely to encounter in 1-51 acquiring additional education and training after becoming 1-52 employed. 1-53 (c) The commission shall assist local workforce development 1-54 boards in meeting the guidelines by providing information about 1-55 model programs and best practices, including employer involvement 1-56 in past employment services. 1-57 (d) The commission shall involve representatives of local 1-58 workforce development boards and other appropriate organizations in 1-59 developing the guidelines and identifying model programs and best 1-60 practices. 1-61 Sec. 302.011. POSTEMPLOYMENT CASE MANAGEMENT. The commission 1-62 shall encourage local workforce development boards to provide 1-63 postemployment case management services for recipients of financial 1-64 assistance who participate in employment programs under Chapter 31, 2-1 Human Resources Code, and have, in comparison to other recipients, 2-2 higher levels of barriers to employment. 2-3 SECTION 2. Subject to the appropriation of funds for that 2-4 purpose, the Texas Workforce Commission shall develop the job 2-5 placement incentive program required by Section 302.009, Labor 2-6 Code, as added by this Act, and the postemployment services 2-7 guidelines required by Section 302.010, Labor Code, as added by 2-8 this Act, not later than January 1, 2002. 2-9 SECTION 3. If before implementing any provision of this Act a 2-10 state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a 2-11 federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, 2-12 the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or 2-13 authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the 2-14 waiver or authorization is granted. 2-15 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001. 2-16 * * * * *