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.
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